Are you really sure you know how to translate the word because in Italian? Sometimes, my students use the word perché incorrectly in Italian. This usually happens because in English the word because is used also in contexts where Italians won’t use it.
So, today I’ll explain some of the ways you have to translate because in Italian.
1. Perché
The first way to translate because in Italian is perché. Perché is used in dependent clauses when you want to explain why something happened, the cause.
Examples:
a. Ho aperto la finestra perché faceva caldo
a. I opened the window because it was hot
b. Ho comprato questo vestito perché mi piaceva
b. I bought this dress because I like it
When you deny a cause and explain the real reason behind what you did, the sentence requires the subjunctive.
Example:
c. Ho comprato questo vestito non perché mi piacesse ma perché costava poco
c. I didn’t buy this dress because I like it but because it wasn’t expensive
In spoken Italian you could hear people replacing the subjunctive with the imperfect – ho comprato questo vestito non perché mi piaceva ma perché costava troppo.
Pay attention at the position that the word perché has in all the sentences above. It never comes at the beginning of a sentence.
2. Siccome; dal momento che; dato che, visto che
The second way to translate because in Italian is siccome, dal momento che, dato che, or visto che. All these Italian expressions are used when you want to explain why something happened, the cause. Their position is generally at the beginning of a sentence.
Examples:
d. Siccome/Dal momento che/Dato che/Visto che faceva caldo, ho aperto la finestra
d. Because it was hot, I opened the window
e. Siccome/Dal momento che/Dato che/Visto che mi piaceva quel vestito, l’ho comprato
e. Because I liked that dress, I bought it
f. Siccome/Dal momento che/Dato che/Visto che sono molto stanca, vado a dormire
f. Because I’m very tired, I go to sleep
3. A causa di
A third way to translate because in Italian is a causa di. Also a causa di is used when you want to explain why something happened, the cause. A causa di is always followed by a noun or a possessive.
Examples:
g. A causa tua, ho perso tutti i miei soldi
g. Because of you, I lost all my money
h. A causa del maltempo, i voli sono cancellati
h. Because of bad weather, flights are cancelled
4. Grazie a
Finally, a fourth way to translate because in Italian is a grazie a. Grazie a is generally used to show gratitude to something or someone.
Eamples:
i. Grazie a mia nonna, oggi parlo spagnolo
i. Because of my grandma, today I can speak Italian
l. Grazie a te, ho passato l’esame
l. Because of you, I passed the exam
Of course, grazie a can also be used in an ironic or in a sarcastic context:
Example:
m. Grazie a te, ho perso tutti i miei soldi
m. Thanks to you, I lost all my money
I hope I’ve helped you understand a little bit more how you can translate the word because in Italian. If I managed to do so and you liked this article, don’t forget to share it!
Credits
Original image by jamesoladujoye
Italian castles – The Aragonese Castle in Ischia
