Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| потому́ что | potomú što | ||
| та́к как | ták kak | ||
| поско́льку | poskólʹku | ||
| ведь | vedʹ | [vʲetʲ] (narrow) | |
| и́бо | íbo | literary | |
| поне́же | ponéže | archaic, rare |
Russian uses different conjunctions for 'because' depending on the context and the position of the reason in the sentence. потому́ что is the most common and neutral way to express a reason. ведь is used when the reason is something the listener should already know or find obvious. та́к как and поско́льку are used to mean 'since' or 'as', often to introduce a reason at the beginning of a clause. When answering the question Почему? (Why?), потому́ что is the standard phrase used to introduce the explanation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase потому́ что is composed of потому́, meaning 'for that reason' and что, meaning 'that'.
Which one should you use?
While потому́ что is the standard way to say 'because', it typically follows the main clause. In contrast, та́к как and поско́льку are often used at the beginning of a sentence or clause to provide a reason, similar to 'since' or 'as' in English. ведь differs from the others by emphasizing a reason that is considered obvious or already known to the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
и́бо is a highly formal or literary conjunction that sounds archaic in everyday speech. поне́же is an archaic term that is not used in modern spoken or written Russian except in historical or poetic contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
поско́льку is a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a reason, often appearing at the start of a clause.
How do you pronounce it?
potomú što
Did you know?
- The word ведь shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'wit'. It originally meant 'I have seen' or 'I know'.
- The conjunction ведь is often used as a 'softener' to remind the listener of a fact without sounding too aggressive or corrective.
- In modern Russian, using и́бо in a casual conversation would sound as strange as using 'forasmuch as' in English.
Examples in context
- Она была счастлива, ведь её мечта сбылась.She was happy because her dream came true.This example shows how to use ведь to express a reason that makes the preceding statement understandable.Tatoeba #4970380 by Karok, translation #4491184 by Joseph
- Мне нравятся орхидеи, ведь они такие прелестные.I love orchids because they are pretty.This example demonstrates the use of ведь when providing a reason that is descriptive and somewhat obvious.Tatoeba #4982324 by Karok, translation #2569059 by Hybrid
- Искусство подражает жизни, ведь жизнь – искусство.Art imitates life because life is an art.This example illustrates using ведь to link a statement to an underlying truth or logic.Tatoeba #10475348 by Ooneykcall, translation #9935158 by Nylez
- Она не смогла прийти на встречу, ведь у нее были другие обязательства.She couldn't come to the meeting because she had other commitments.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations and entries ведь, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ведь, как, что, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
