Cause & Purpose: Russian Function Words

Because: the cause comes after

потому́ что because

The default. It introduces the cause, and it always follows the result, never opens the sentence.

Я не пришёл, потому́ что заболе́л. I did not come because I fell ill.

так как since, as

Same job as потому́ что but a little more formal, and it may open the sentence.

Так как шёл дождь, мы оста́лись до́ма. Since it was raining, we stayed at home.

поско́льку inasmuch as, given that

Written and formal. Use it in an essay or a report, not in speech.

Поско́льку вопро́с ва́жный, обсу́дим его́ за́втра. Given that the question is important, we will discuss it tomorrow.

ведь after all, you see

A particle, not a conjunction. It appeals to something the listener already knows.

Не спеши́, ведь вре́мени мно́го. Do not rush, we have plenty of time after all.

раз since, if that is how it is

Colloquial. It takes a fact just established and builds on it.

Раз ты уста́л, отдохни́. Since you are tired, take a rest.

Because of: a cause that is a noun

и́з-за because of, owing to

Takes the genitive. Used for a cause with a BAD outcome.

Мы опозда́ли и́з-за про́бок. We were late because of the traffic.

благодаря́ thanks to

Takes the dative. The mirror image of и́з-за: used for a cause with a GOOD outcome.

Благодаря́ тебе́ мы успе́ли. Thanks to you we made it in time.

по причи́не for the reason of

Takes the genitive. Bureaucratic register, the phrasing of an official notice.

Магази́н закры́т по причи́не ремо́нта. The shop is closed for refurbishment.

Therefore: the result comes after

поэ́тому so, therefore

The exact reverse of потому́ что. It introduces the RESULT, not the cause.

Шёл дождь, поэ́тому мы оста́лись до́ма. It was raining, so we stayed at home.

зна́чит so, that means

Draws a conclusion from what was just said. Very common in speech.

Свет гори́т, зна́чит он до́ма. The light is on, so he is at home.

сле́довательно consequently, it follows that

The formal, written twin of зна́чит. Reads as mathematical or legal.

Докуме́нт не по́дписан, сле́довательно он недействи́телен. The document is unsigned, consequently it is invalid.

поэ́тому и and that is exactly why

поэ́тому with the emphatic particle и, pointing at the cause just given.

Он не знал а́дреса, поэ́тому и опозда́л. He did not know the address, and that is exactly why he was late.

Purpose: what it was for

что́бы in order to, so that

Infinitive after it when the subject is the same; PAST TENSE after it when the subject changes.

Я пришёл, что́бы помо́чь. I came in order to help.

для того́ что́бы for the purpose of

A heavier, more deliberate что́бы. Use it when the purpose is the point of the sentence.

Для того́ что́бы сдать экза́мен, ну́жно занима́ться. In order to pass the exam you need to study.

почему́ why (what caused it)

Asks for a CAUSE. The natural answer begins потому́ что.

Почему́ ты не отве́тил? Why did you not answer?

заче́м why, what for (to what end)

Asks for a PURPOSE. The natural answer begins что́бы.

Заче́м ты взял мой ключ? What did you take my key for?

Choosing between them

These comparisons are the reason this page exists. A function word is rarely hard to translate; it is hard to choose.

потому́ что against поэ́тому

These are the two ends of the same arrow, and mixing them up reverses the sentence. потому́ что introduces the CAUSE and always comes second: Мы оста́лись до́ма, потому́ что шёл дождь. поэ́тому introduces the RESULT: Шёл дождь, поэ́тому мы оста́лись до́ма. Same two facts, opposite order, and the conjunction is what tells you which half is which.

и́з-за against благодаря́

Both mean roughly “because of” and both attach to a noun, but they carry opposite judgements. и́з-за is for a cause you resent and takes the genitive: и́з-за дождя́, и́з-за него́. благодаря́ is for a cause you are grateful for and takes the dative: благодаря́ дождю́, благодаря́ ему́. Saying и́з-за твое́й по́мощи sounds like you are complaining about being helped.

почему́ against заче́м

почему́ asks what CAUSED something, looking backwards; заче́м asks what it is FOR, looking forwards. Почему́ ты купи́л маши́ну? invites потому́ что ста́рая слома́лась. Заче́м ты купи́л маши́ну? invites что́бы е́здить на рабо́ту. Asking заче́м about an accident sounds like an accusation, because it presumes the person meant to do it.

что́бы plus infinitive against что́бы plus past

The rule is about WHO does the second action. Same subject, use the infinitive: Я пришёл, что́бы помо́чь. Different subject, use the PAST TENSE, however odd that looks, because it is not really a past tense here: Я пришёл, что́бы ты не был оди́н. There is no third option; что́бы is never followed by a present tense.