In English, we often link verbs directly to a subordinate clause with the word "that" (for example, I worry that... or She insists that...).
In Russian, many verbs require a specific preposition (like о, на, с, or к). However, Russian grammar does not allow you to place a preposition directly in front of the conjunction что (that).
To bridge this gap, we use the demonstrative pronoun то (it/that). The preposition changes the case of то, which is then followed by a comma and что. This creates a structure literally meaning "about the fact that" or "to the fact that."
Here are the verbs we will focus on in this lesson, their required prepositions, and the resulting phrases:
| Verb | Preposition & Case | Linking Phrase |
|---|
| беспокоиться (to worry) | о + Prepositional | о том, что |
| настаивать (to insist) | на + Prepositional | на том, что |
| сосредоточиться (to focus) | на + Prepositional | на том, что |
| признаться (to admit) | в + Prepositional | в том, что |
| смириться (to come to terms) | с + Instrumental | с тем, что |
| рассчитывать (to count on) | на + Accusative | на то, что |
| привыкать (to get used to) | к + Dative | к тому, что |
The Prepositional Case: о том, на том, в том
Several common verbs require the Prepositional case. When linking these verbs to a что clause, the pronoun то becomes том.
The Instrumental Case: с тем
The verb смириться (to come to terms) requires the preposition с and the Instrumental case. In this construction, то becomes тем.
The Accusative Case: на то
Be careful with the preposition на. While настаивать на takes the Prepositional case (на том), the verb рассчитывать (to count on) requires на with the Accusative case to show direction or target.
Since то is neuter and inanimate, its Accusative form is identical to the Nominative: то.
The Dative Case: к тому
Finally, verbs like привыкать / привыкнуть (to get used to) take the preposition к and the Dative case. Here, то changes to тому.
