чаму
Question Word Чаму
Чаму means why: Чаму яна плача? (Why is she crying?)
How It Works
Чаму starts a question about a cause: Чаму ты не спіш? (Why are you not sleeping?)
Answering. Use бо or таму што: Бо я не хачу спаць. (Because I do not want to sleep.) On its own, таму means so, that is why, not because. See таму for a result.
Чаму or навошта? Чаму asks about a cause. To ask about a purpose (what for), Belarusian uses навошта: Навошта табе гэта? (What do you need that for?)
A second чаму. The same spelling is also a form of што (what): Чаму ты радуешся? can mean What are you happy about?. Context shows which one is meant.
Speakers influenced by Russian sometimes say пачаму. That word is not Belarusian; the standard word is чаму.
Examples (5)
- Чаму ты не спіш?
Why are you not sleeping?
Word by Word: Why you not sleep?
- Чаму яна плача?
Why is she crying?
Word by Word: Why she cries?
- Чаму аўтобуса няма?
Why isn't the bus here?
Word by Word: Why bus-of is-not?
Няма takes the genitive: аўтобуса.
- Чаму ты смяешся? — Бо гэта смешна.
Why are you laughing? — Because it is funny.
Word by Word: Why you laugh? — Because this funny.
- Чаму ты вучыш беларускую мову?
Why are you learning Belarusian?
Word by Word: Why you learn Belarusian language?
Common Mistakes
Using the Russian-influenced form пачаму.
Пачаму ты не спіш?Чаму ты не спіш?Пачаму is not a Belarusian word. The standard question word is чаму.
Answering a чаму question with таму alone.
Чаму ты не спіш? — Таму я не хачу спаць.Чаму ты не спіш? — Бо я не хачу спаць.Таму alone means so or that is why. For because, use бо or таму што.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Чаму follows the first question words.
Related Patterns
- бо / таму штоBecause with Бо and Таму Што
The usual way to answer a чаму question.
Level 2 - навоштаQuestion Word Навошта
Asks what for, about a purpose instead of a cause.
Level 3 - таму for a ResultSo and Therefore with Таму
Таму alone introduces a result, not a reason.
Level 3 - штоQuestion Word Што
Чаму is also the dative form of што.
Level 1 - Common Russianisms to Avoid
Пачаму is one of the Russian-influenced slips to avoid.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice чаму in Bubblegum
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