jer, zato što, pošto

Because

Level 4

Ostajem kući jer sam bolestan. Ostajem kući zato što sam bolestan. Pošto sam bolestan, ostajem kući.

How It Works

WordUsual placeExample
jerafter the main clauseNe idem u školu jer sam bolestan.
zato štoafter the main clauseNe idem u školu zato što sam bolestan.
poštooften firstPošto pada kiša, ostajemo kući.

The short word jer is very common in speech. The longer zato što is a little more careful, and it is the usual way to answer Zašto? with a full sentence: Zato što sam umoran. A short answer can also start with jer: Jer sam umoran.

Pošto means "since" or "as" in the sense of "given that", and it is used when the reason is already known to both people. It is mostly spoken; in careful writing budući da is common. Watch out: pošto can also mean "after" (pošto smo stigli), and in a shop Pošto je kilo? asks the price.

When jer or zato što follows the main clause, a comma before it is optional. When the reason comes first, as with pošto, a comma follows it. Remember that jer introduces a reason, and pa or zato introduce a result. Learners sometimes mix them up.

Examples (4)

  1. Ostajem kući jer sam bolestan.

    I am staying home because I am sick.

    Jer follows the main clause.

  2. Ne idem na posao zato što je praznik.

    I am not going to work because it is a holiday.

    Zato što is a little more careful.

  3. Pošto pada kiša, ostajemo kući.

    Since it is raining, we are staying home.

    Pošto starts the sentence.

  4. Zašto kasniš? Zato što je gužva.

    Why are you late? Because there is a traffic jam.

    Zato što answers the question.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing up reason and result.

    Pada kiša, jer ostajemo kući.
    Ostajemo kući jer pada kiša.

    Jer introduces the reason, which here is the rain.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

jer, zato što, poštoLevel 4Because

Learn This First

Reason conjunctions.

Words in This Pattern

jerzatoštopošto