заче́м
- 1.
why, what for, for what purpose
Заче́м ты э́то сде́лал?
Why did you do that?
Unlike почему (which asks about the cause), зачем asks about the purpose or intention behind an action.
Usage info
Difference in usage between "заче́м & почему́":
Think of зачем as focusing on future-oriented reasoning, looking for intent or purpose.
Think of почему as focusing on past or present circumstances, looking for an explanation of a cause.
Reply with что́бы or зате́м, что́бы.
Examples
Зачем?
Why?
Зачем ты приобрёл брита́нскую маши́ну?
Why did you buy a British car?
Меланхо́лия для пси́хов и приду́рков; вот зачем ну́жен алкого́ль и же́нщины.
Melancholy is for crazies and morons, that's what alcohol and women are for.
Typical usagePRO
Asking purpose directly
заче́м?
What for?
заче́м э́то де́лать?
Why do this?
заче́м ты э́то сде́лал?
Why did you do that?
With dative: who needs it?
заче́м тебе́ э́то?
What do you need this for?
заче́м мне учи́ть латы́нь?
Why should I study Latin?
заче́м ему́ маши́на?
What does he need a car for?
Focus and discourse particles
А заче́м?
But why?
заче́м и́менно ...?
Why exactly ...?
заче́м вообще́ ...?
Why ... at all?
заче́м же ...?
So why then ...?
Word familyзаче́мPRO
- заче́мwhy
- заче́м-тоfor some reason
Learn
Contributions
Iron edited translation 1 month ago.
nrimanliyev edited translation 1 month ago.
Singolin edited usage info 1 year ago.
