Genitive + dēļ
Because of: Dēļ
Put dēļ after a noun in the genitive: lietus dēļ (because of the rain), bērnu dēļ (for the children's sake).
How It Works
1. A cause. Lietus dēļ mēs palikām mājās. (Because of the rain, we stayed at home.) Veikals ir slēgts remonta dēļ. (The shop is closed for repairs.) Use the genitive singular or the genitive plural: sniegs → sniega dēļ, sastrēgumi → sastrēgumu dēļ.
2. For someone's sake. With a person, dēļ can mean for their benefit: Mēs pārcēlāmies uz laukiem bērnu dēļ. (We moved to the countryside for the children's sake.) Pronouns use their genitive forms: manis dēļ, tevis dēļ, viņas dēļ, mūsu dēļ. The context shows whether it means because of me or for my sake. In speech, a short Manis dēļ! means I don't mind or It's all the same to me.
3. The plural stays genitive. After most prepositions a plural noun is dative (see plural nouns after prepositions). Dēļ is an exception, like labad: bērnu dēļ, not bērniem dēļ.
4. Dēļ or jo? Dēļ goes with a noun. To give a reason with a whole clause, use jo: Mēs palikām mājās, jo lija. (We stayed at home because it was raining.) The question kādēļ? (why?) and the answer word tādēļ (that is why) are built from dēļ and work like kāpēc and tāpēc.
Examples (6)
- Lietus dēļ mēs palikām mājās.
Because of the rain, we stayed at home.
Word by Word: Rain because-of we stayed at-home.
Lietus has the same form in the nominative and the genitive.
- Vilciens kavējas sniega dēļ.
The train is late because of the snow.
Sniegs → genitive sniega.
- Veikals ir slēgts remonta dēļ.
The shop is closed for repairs.
A typical notice on a shop door. Remonts → remonta.
- Viņš to izdarīja manis dēļ.
He did it for my sake.
Pronouns take the genitive before dēļ: manis, tevis, mūsu.
- Mēs pārcēlāmies uz laukiem bērnu dēļ.
We moved to the countryside for the children's sake.
A plural noun stays genitive: bērni → bērnu.
- Sastrēgumu dēļ es nokavēju darbu.
I was late for work because of the traffic jams.
Sastrēgumi → genitive plural sastrēgumu.
Common Mistakes
Using the dative plural with dēļ.
Mēs pārcēlāmies uz laukiem bērniem dēļ.Mēs pārcēlāmies uz laukiem bērnu dēļ.Dēļ takes the genitive in the plural too: bērnu, not bērniem.
Putting dēļ before the noun.
Mēs palikām mājās dēļ lietus.Mēs palikām mājās lietus dēļ.In standard Latvian, dēļ is a postposition and follows its noun: lietus dēļ.
Using dēļ to join a whole clause.
Mēs palikām mājās dēļ lija.Mēs palikām mājās, jo lija.Dēļ needs a noun or pronoun. Before a clause with its own verb, use jo.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Dēļ gives a reason.
Related Patterns
- Genitive Plural -uGenitive Plural in -u
The plural forms that dēļ keeps: bērnu dēļ.
Level 2 - Genitive + labadFor the Sake of: Labad
Another postposition with the genitive, meaning for the sake of.
Level 4 - Plural Nouns After Prepositions
The usual plural rule that dēļ does not follow.
Level 2 - tāpēcSo and Therefore: Tāpēc
That is why; tādēļ is built from dēļ and means the same.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Genitive + dēļ in Bubblegum
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