Expressing causes and reasons - Putting in context - Functions - A Practical Guide - Modern Italian Grammar

Modern Italian Grammar: A Practical Guide, Third Edition (2013)

Part B. Functions

IV. Putting in context

34. Expressing causes and reasons

34.1 Introduction

You often need to explain the reason behind an event or action, or to justify your actions or those of someone else. There are various ways in which you can do this in Italian. Sometimes one person or thing is responsible, sometimes the cause is a factor or set of circumstances.

34.2 Specific people, factors or events responsible

Sometimes the cause of an event can be attributed to just one person, thing or event (expressed by a noun or pronoun), in which case one of the following prepositional phrases can be used:

a causa di

because of

grazie a

thanks to

per via di

because of

A causa degli scioperi, l'aereo è arrivato a Catania con due ore di ritardo.

Because of the strikes, the plane was two hours late arriving in Catania.

È grazie al chirurgo che mio figlio è ancora vivo oggi.

It's thanks to the surgeon that my son is still alive today.

Per via del traffico, siamo arrivati a casa stanchi e nervosi.

Because of the traffic, we arrived home tired and edgy.

34.3 General cause or reason

Sometimes the cause of an event or action is a situation or combination of factors. There are several ways of expressing such a cause.

34.3.1 Using a causal clause

A conjunction (see 5.3.4) or similar phrase can be used to introduce a causal clause (clause of reason). The most common conjunctions are:

considerato che

considering that

dal momento che

since

dato che

given that

giacché

since

in quanto

inasmuch as

per il fatto che

for the fact that

per il motivo che

for the reason that

perché

because

poiché

since

siccome

since

visto che

seeing as

By far the most common of these conjunctions is perché, followed by poiché, giacché, with siccome frequently used in the spoken language (see also 5.3.4). These all use the indicative (see however the note on non perché below). Compare this use of perché with perché expressing ‘purpose’ (see 33.1, 33.3.1). The position of the ‘since’/‘because’ clauses differs according to the conjunction used.

A causal clause introduced by perché always comes after the main clause:

Sono stata bocciata perché non avevo studiato per niente.

I failed because I didn't study at all.

Clauses introduced by other conjunctions/phrases are more flexible, and can come either before or after the main clause:

Poiché non avevano il capitale per formare una società, hanno deciso di cercare collaboratori.

Since they didn't have enough capital to form a company, they decided to look for collaborators.

Ci metteremo subito al lavoro, giacché abbiamo cominciato con un po' di ritardo.

We will start work straightaway, since we began a little late.

Siccome sei stato tu a comprare i calamari, adesso li puoi preparare.

Since it was you who bought the squid, now you can prepare them.

Dato che la situazione peggiorava, l'ONU ha deciso di ritirare le sue truppe.

Since the situation was getting worse, the UN decided to withdraw its troops.

Sometimes perché is substituted by the shortened form ché, considered rather old-fashioned, but still seen in written texts:

Non far rumore, ché ho mal di testa.

Don't make a noise because I've got a headache.

In informal spoken language, you often find the connecting word che used with a causal meaning:

Vieni con me, che vado a vedere cosa succede.

Come with me (since) I'm going to see what's happening.

The phrases visto che, considerato che, visto e considerato che, in quanto tend to be used particularly in bureaucratic or legal language:

Visto che non si è concluso niente, sarebbe meglio rimandare la riunione a domani.

Since nothing has been decided, it would be better to put off our meeting until tomorrow.

Visto e considerato che non stati rispettati i termini del contratto, possiamo procedere all'annullamento dello stesso.

In view of the fact that the terms of the contract have not been fulfilled, we can proceed to the annulment of the same.

È in parte responsabile il direttore di marketing in quanto non aveva pensato a come realizzare il progetto.

The director of marketing is partially responsible in that he hadn't thought about how to put the plan into effect.

Note that in quanto can also be used without a verb, for example:

Dopo il disastro, l'Ingegnere è stato criticato in quanto responsabile della manutenzione della diga.

After the disaster, the Chief Engineer was criticised as the person responsible for the upkeep of the dam.

Non perché and non ché are used to say that something is not the real reason behind an event or action; both are usually followed by the subjunctive, although the indicative is frequently used in everyday speech:

Non perché ti voglia offendere, ma forse la danza classica non è il tuo forte.

Not that I want to offend you, but perhaps classical dance isn't your strong point.

If the real reason is given as well, this is in the indicative:

Il capo vuole mandarla via, non perché gli sia antipatica (not the real reason), ma perché proprio non sa fare il suo lavoro (the real reason).

The boss wants to get rid of her, not because he doesn't like her, but because she really doesn't know how to do her job.

34.3.2 Using per + infinitive

When the same person is the subject of both cause and effect, per (see also 4.4.4) and an infinitive (usually a past infinitive) can be used:

Un nostro collega fu licenziato per aver portato a casa un computer.

A colleague of ours was sacked for having taken a computer home.

Per can be expanded into per il fatto di:

Mio fratello è rimasto stupito per il fatto di aver vinto il premio.

My brother was amazed at having won the prize.

Il direttore è arrabbiato per il fatto di dover riprogrammare tutto.

The director is angry at having to reschedule everything.

Il ragazzo viene giudicato male per il fatto di essere timido.

The boy is judged harshly because of being shy.

34.3.3 Using the gerund

The gerund, present or past (see 2.2.25), can also have a causal meaning. The subject of the gerund must also be the grammatical subject of the ‘result’ clause, as in the first two examples, or should be mentioned explicitly, as in the last example:

Sapendo che saremmo tornati in montagna a Natale, abbiamo lasciato gli sci a casa dei nostri amici.

Knowing that we would be coming back to the mountains at Christmas, we left our skis at our friends' house.

Avendo già chiesto il prezzo della camera all'ufficio turistico, abbiamo capito subito che la padrona di casa ci faceva pagare troppo.

Having already asked the price of the room at the tourist office, we realised immediately that the landlady was charging us too much.

Essendo chiuso il negozietto, abbiamo comprato il latte al bar.

Since the corner shop was shut, we bought milk from the café.

34.3.4 Using the past participle

Similarly, the past participle (see 2.2.27) can also express a reason or cause. Like the gerund, the subject of the participle must be that of the main verb, as in the first example, or else must be specifically expressed, as in the second example:

Laureato con 110 e lode, Marco pensava di trovare subito un posto, ma non era così facile.

Having graduated with top marks, Marco thought he would find a job straightaway, but it wasn't so easy.

Partiti i genitori, i ragazzi hanno organizzato una festa in casa.

With their parents away, the kids organised a party at their house.

34.4 II motivo, la causa, la ragione

Italian, as English, has several nouns denoting cause or reason such as il motivo, la causa or la ragione:

Per quale motivo bisogna fare il check-in due ore prima del volo?

Why does one have to check-in two hours before the flight?

Il disaccordo tra i soci è stato la causa del fallimento dell'azienda.

The disagreement between the shareholders was the cause of the company's bankruptcy.

Che ragioni aveva per agire in questo modo?

What reasons did she have to act in this way?

La causa, il motivo, la ragione can be used with per and a relative pronoun, for example cui (see 3.5.2) or il quale/la quale:

Il motivo per cui abbiamo scelto questa casa è la posizione tranquilla.

The reason we have chosen this house is its quiet position.

La ragione per la quale non sono venuti è che avevano dei compiti da finire.

The reason why they didn't come is that they had homework to finish.

You can give more details by adding an adjective, for example:

per ragioni familiari

for family reasons

per motivi finanziari

for financial reasons

per motivi personali

for personal reasons

Ha dato le dimissioni per motivi familiari.

She resigned for family reasons.

34.5 Causare, provocare, suscitare

Verbs meaning ‘to cause’ include causare, portare a, produrre, provocare, stimolare, suscitare (see also 35.5.1):

Una sigaretta buttata per terra ha provocato l'incendio.

A cigarette thrown on the ground caused the fire.

All the above verbs except portare a can be used in a passive construction:

La sua malattia era causata dallo stress.

Her illness was caused by stress.

Le proteste erano suscitate dall'inerzia delle autorità.

The protests were caused by the inertia of the authorities.

34.6 Dovere, dovuto

The verb dovere (see 2.2.3 and Appendix III) can have the meaning ‘to be due to’ and can be used to express cause.

Here the impersonal construction si deve is used:

Si deve al tuo lavoro se abbiamo ottenuto buoni risultati.

If we have had good results, it's due to your work.

Far more common is the use of the past participle dovuto. It must relate to one specific noun, shown in italics in our examples, with which it agrees in gender and number:

Il problema del traffico a Napoli è dovuto alla struttura della città.

The traffic problem in Naples is due to the structure of the city.

Abbiamo incontrato delle code sull'autostrada dovute a una manifestazione dei camionisti.

We met queues on the autostrada (motorway) due to a demonstration by lorry-drivers.

Where the reason is not a single factor but a whole set of circumstances, you can still use dovuto but need to incorporate the phrase il fatto che ‘the fact that’ to introduce the reason:

Marisa non si decideva a buttarsi in acqua. La sua indecisione era dovuta al fatto che non sapeva nuotare.

Marisa couldn't make up her mind whether to jump into the water. Her indecision was due to the fact that she couldn't swim.

34.7 Asking why

The question ‘why’ (see 15.3.3) can also be asked by using come mai or perché:

Come mai non sei venuto stasera?

How come you didn't come tonight?

Perché non mi rivolge la parola?

Why isn't she speaking to me?

You can also ask the reason using quale:

Qual è il motivo della sua gelosia?

What is the reason for her jealousy?

Qual è la spiegazione di questo comportamento?

What is the explanation for this behaviour?

Or using come:

Come si può spiegare questo fenomeno?

How can one explain this phenomenon?

34.8 Using the imperfect tense to give reasons

Often the imperfect tense (see 2.2.4 and 13.6.5) is used to supply the background to an action or event, expressed in the passato prossimo. Even without a specific conjunction of cause, the ‘reason’ aspect is clear from the context:

Siamo andati a casa. Eravamo stanchi.

We went home. We were tired.

Avevo fame. Ho mangiato due panini e un toast.

I was hungry. I ate two rolls and a toasted sandwich.