Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cause'

English Word: cause

Key Russian Translations:

• причина [prʲɪˈt͡ɕinə] - [Formal, Neutral]
• повод [pɐˈvot] - [Neutral, Often for a reason or pretext]
• вызывать [vɨˈzɨvətʲ] - [Verb, Neutral, Used for 'to cause']

Frequency: High (especially "причина" and "вызывать")

Difficulty: A2 (причина, повод); B1 (вызывать - due to verb conjugation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

причина: [prʲɪˈt͡ɕinə]

Note on причина: The stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ч' sound is a soft affricate, similar to 'ch' in 'church'.

повод: [pɐˈvot]

Note on повод: The stress is on the second syllable, and the 'о' is reduced in unstressed positions.

вызывать: [vɨˈzɨvətʲ]

Note on вызывать: The stress is on the second syllable, and the final 'ть' indicates an infinitive verb form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Cause as a noun (reason or motive)

Translation(s) & Context:

• причина - Used for a fundamental reason or root cause (e.g., in formal or analytical contexts).
• повод - Often refers to an occasion or pretext, sometimes with a lighter or situational tone.

Usage Examples:

• Причина аварии - плохая погода.

  The cause of the accident was bad weather.

• У нас нет повода для беспокойства.

  We have no cause for concern.

• Это была главная причина его ухода.

  That was the main cause of his departure.

2. Cause as a verb (to bring about)

Translation(s) & Context:

• вызывать - Commonly used for causing something to happen, often emotions, reactions, or events.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм вызывает сильные эмоции.

  This movie causes strong emotions.

• Его слова вызвали спор.

  His words caused an argument.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

причина (noun, feminine): Declines according to the first declension pattern.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	причина	причины
Genitive	причины	причин
Dative	причине	причинам
Accusative	причину	причины
Instrumental	причиной	причинами
Prepositional	о причине	о причинах

повод (noun, masculine): Follows the second declension pattern. Similar table structure applies (omitted for brevity).

вызывать (verb, imperfective): Conjugates as a first-conjugation verb with the stem 'вызыва-'.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	вызываю
Ты (You, singular)	вызываешь
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	вызывает
Мы (We)	вызываем
Вы (You, plural)	вызываете
Они (They)	вызывают

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for причина:

• основание (basis, often formal)
• фактор (factor, analytical context)

Antonyms for причина:

• следствие (consequence, effect)

Related Phrases:

• по причине (due to, because of) - Often used in formal contexts to explain a reason.
• без повода (without cause/reason) - Used to indicate something done unnecessarily or randomly.
• вызвать интерес (to cause interest) - A common collocation for sparking curiosity.

Usage Notes:

• "причина" is the most direct and common translation for "cause" as a noun and is suitable for most formal and neutral contexts.
• "повод" often implies a situational or temporary reason and can sometimes carry a connotation of pretext or excuse.
• "вызывать" as a verb is versatile but primarily used for causing intangible effects (e.g., emotions, reactions) rather than physical outcomes, where other verbs like "причинять" might be used.

Common Errors:

1. Confusing "причина" and "повод": English speakers often use them interchangeably, but "повод" is more situational. Incorrect: "Это повод его болезни" (should be "причина"). Correct: "Это причина его болезни" (This is the cause of his illness).

2. Misusing "вызывать" for physical causation: Avoid using "вызывать" for direct physical damage. Incorrect: "Удар вызвал поломку" (should be "причинил"). Correct: "Удар причинил поломку" (The blow caused damage).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussing the "причина" (cause) of events or behaviors is often important in conversations, reflecting a cultural tendency to seek explanations or justifications for actions. Using "повод" might sometimes imply a less serious or more superficial reason, so it should be chosen carefully to avoid sounding dismissive.

Related Concepts:

• следствие (consequence)
• результат (result)
• мотив (motive)