zbog / radi + Genitive

Cause and Purpose with Nouns

Level 4

Zbog commonly gives a cause; radi commonly gives a purpose.

How It Works

Compare zbog kiše, where rain causes a change of plan, with radi odmora, where rest is the goal. The distinction is a useful guide in careful standard writing.

Actual usage can overlap, particularly with radi. Do not label every overlapping use ungrammatical; first work out whether the phrase is presenting a cause, a motive or an intended result.

A full clause uses a related connector such as jer or a purpose construction with da. Zbog and radi here require a noun phrase, not an unintroduced finite verb.

Examples (3)

  1. Ostali smo kod kuće zbog kiše.

    We stayed at home because of the rain.

    Kiše names the cause in the genitive.

  2. Otišla je na more radi odmora.

    She went to the seaside for a rest.

    Odmora identifies the intended purpose.

  3. Kasnim zbog prometne gužve.

    I am late because of traffic congestion.

    Prometne gužve is a genitive cause phrase.

How It Connects

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

zbog / radi + GenitiveLevel 4Cause and Purpose with Nouns

Learn This First

Nominal cause and purpose phrases contrast with a finite reason clause.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

zbogradi