The new compound conjunction “to chto” may eventually become part of standard Russian, although the construction is currently considered incorrect. Vladimir Pakhomov, a researcher at the V. V. Vinogradov Institute of the Russian Language of the Russian Academy of Sciences and chair of the Philology Council of the Total Dictation Foundation, reported on the ongoing debate on September 30. In his view, the phrase’s growing use may be linked to the language’s need for a new subordinating conjunction.
How “to chto” is used
Pakhomov gave the example “он сказал, то что завтра придет” (“he said, to chto he would come tomorrow”). Under the current standard, the sentence uses only the conjunction “что” (“that”): “он сказал, что завтра придет” (“he said that he would come tomorrow”). Adding “то” is still perceived as an error, though, according to the linguist, young people are increasingly choosing this construction.
This is not a new meaning for an existing word, but a possible compound conjunction—a fixed combination of several words that links parts of a complex sentence. In the example with the verb “сказал” (“said”), the conjunction introduces the content of what was said. The phrase “то что” may begin to perform precisely this grammatical function if its use becomes established.
Why the standard is being debated
The usual explanation of this construction as a simple mistake does not settle the question: Pakhomov links its spread to a possible need for a new way of connecting clauses. This suggestion does not mean that “то что” has already been accepted as correct. For now, the standard form is the one without “то.”
The linguist stressed that changes in grammar are a natural part of a language’s development, not a sign of its decline. But widespread usage and an established standard are not the same thing: the report that young people are increasingly saying “то что” does not declare the construction acceptable or set a timeline for a possible change.
What the example “прийти” shows
Another example illustrates how a language standard is recorded. On September 2, Pavel Katyshev, head of the Department of General and Russian Linguistics at the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, said that the verb “прийти” should be spelled with the letter “й.” This form is established in the Explanatory Dictionary of the State Language of the Russian Federation.
Before the unified standard mentioned by Katyshev was adopted, there were three spellings: “прийти,” “придти” and “притти.” This example concerns spelling, whereas the debate about “то что” concerns grammar. Both involve how usage relates to the established standard, but these different language questions should not be conflated.
What may change
If the phrase “то что” continues to spread, it may acquire the status of a compound subordinating conjunction. For now, this is a possible direction of development suggested by Pakhomov, not a change to the rules that has already taken place. The report gives neither a timeline nor a quantitative estimate of how widespread the construction is.
For readers, the practical guidance remains simple: in neutral standard speech and writing, the sentence should currently be “он сказал, что завтра придет” (“he said that he would come tomorrow”). Interest in “то что” is a reason to observe the development of Russian grammar, but in itself does not overturn the current standard.
Bottom line: “то что” is still considered incorrect, but its growing use could eventually turn the phrase into a new compound conjunction.