a grammar explanation, please: то

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

My tutor and I have an awesome system. We have dialogue journals. We each have a journal, and we write to the other person. We exchange them every time we have a lesson, so it reinforces reading and writing. I love it. I find that I learn new words because I have something I want to say. I also use Abby Lingvo for when I don't understand a word, but it doesn't do so great on grammar explanations.

My tutor wrote:

Когда я хожу в университет, то я просыпаюсь утром в 6:30!

What is the function of "TO" there? I understand it has something to do with linking independent clauses. Is it because the word Когда was used? Or can it be used to link other independent clauses? Does it imply a conditional result? Can it be left off, the way "that" can often be left off (I know THAT I don't know)?

I'd just love a great explanation if you have one!

спасибо!

Comments

[archaicos.livejournal.com]

Если + clause, то[гда] + clause.
Когда + clause, то[гда] + clause.
То is a short variant of Тогда, then.

[cyka-no-iq.livejournal.com]

it's like an english sentence "If i go to university, THEN i wake up at 6-30" (probably THAT'S WHY has similar meaning)
you can left it without any lose of sence: "If i go to university, i wake up at 6-30"

so, almost always it's not nessesary to use ТО, exept situation when you want to stress strictly dependence: "Если я пью текилу, ТО обязательно нажрусь"

sorry for my mistakes, hope you'll understand me

[thevile.livejournal.com]

yep, you can left it. More common usage is with 'то'. This particle makes an accent to the second part of the sentence. And of course you cannot use it without the linking part in the first part of the sentence like 'Когда', 'Если', etc

[bluejinn.livejournal.com]

I would say:
Когда я иду в университет, (то) я встаю в 6:30 утра. It's much more russian..example.

[serpent-849.livejournal.com]

To me the original sentence is OK and perhaps even better than your variant. At least I would assume the person played truant often if he said "когда я иду в университет", as if it's something not done daily, while "когда я хожу в университет" implies "during the semester" or something similar...
I agree about the second part of the sentence though. Those that enjoy waking up very early probably do so regardless of having or not having to study or work. And those that don't enjoy it have to use an alarm clock :D

[karakal.livejournal.com]

It's a strange phrase anyway.

Any Russian I know would say
Когда я иду в университет, то встаю в полседьмого (omitting я and with то)
or
Когда мне нужно идти в университет, я встаю в полседьмого (omitting то and with я).

[new-intell.livejournal.com]

то can be absent Когда я хожу в университет, встаю в 7 часов.
It can peresent if the main sentence is after clause. Compar.:
Я встаю в 7 часов, когда хожу в университет
Когда я хожу в университет, я встаю в 7 часов.
Когда я хожу в университет, то встаю в 7 часов.
The last two sentenses are equal in their meaning.