Breakdown of Ten jedwab jest zbyt drogi, toteż patrzę na syntetyczny materiał.
być
to be
ten
this (m)
drogi
expensive
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
materiał
material
patrzeć
to look
zbyt
too / excessively
syntetyczny
synthetic
toteż
therefore / consequently
jedwab
silk
Questions & Answers about Ten jedwab jest zbyt drogi, toteż patrzę na syntetyczny materiał.
How does toteż change the tone compared to more common words like więc or dlatego?
Toteż means exactly the same as więc or dlatego (therefore, consequently), but it is more formal and slightly emphatic. It presents your action as an inescapable logical consequence of the silk being too expensive. While you would use więc in everyday conversation, toteż sounds a bit more sophisticated, which fits perfectly when discussing expensive fabrics.
Why isn't syntetyczny materiał in the accusative case here, since it follows the preposition na?
It actually is in the accusative case! The verb phrase patrzeć na (to look at) requires the accusative. However, because materiał is a masculine inanimate noun (a non-living object), its accusative form is exactly the same as its nominative form. The adjective syntetyczny simply matches this noun, so it looks like nothing changed.
If I wanted to say I am 'looking for' a synthetic material, could I just swap patrzę na for szukam?
You could swap the verb, but you would also need to change the noun's case. While patrzeć na takes the accusative, szukać requires the genitive case. You would have to say toteż szukam syntetycznego materiału. Using patrzę na here implies you are actively looking at or considering a specific alternative material right in front of you.
Does toteż force any special word order in the second half of the sentence?
No, toteż does not change the word order of the clause that follows it. Just like więc, it allows you to continue with standard Polish word order. Here, we immediately follow it with the verb patrzę because the subject pronoun (ja) is naturally dropped.
Learn Ten jedwab jest zbyt drogi, toteż patrzę na syntetyczny materiał and more in Polish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free