Зачем vs. Почему

[zombie-laika.livejournal.com]

My Russian text has confused me on the difference between зачем and почему. I've looked at a few sources to try and simplify things. Is there an easy way to tell when it is appropriate to use зачем versus почему? (Does it help to break them down into за + чем and по + чему?)

Comments

[dimon37.livejournal.com]

I woudl say that you use зачем when you mean "for what reason","what si the goal", while you would use почему to mean "what was cause", "why". But actually the line is pretty thin and I don't think it's a big deal if you use one instead of another.

[halevi.livejournal.com]

Really, one will use "зачем" talking about a goal, and "почему" is talking about the cause. "Почему" is almost equal to English "why". But these words may not really used one instead of another. Here are several examples:

Зачем ты это сделал? --- For what goal did you do that?

Я не спрашиваю "почему?", я спрашиваю "зачем?" --- I don't ask "what is the cause?", I do ask "what is the goal?"

Почему деревья качаются? --- Why trees are swinging?
Pay attention: "Зачем деревья качаются?" would be very strange phrase, because the swinging of trees, AFAIK, has no goal. :)

[fucking--snow.livejournal.com]

zachem = what for
pochemu = why
what did you steal the money for? - to get new shoes.
why did you cheat on the test? - because i have no conscience.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_lee_loo_/]

Use "зачему" and you'll never be mistaken))))
Just kidding;)

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

I think it's better to use зачем and почему in the same question and explain it.

Почему ты это сделал? Потому что я злой!

Зачем ты это сделал? Чтобы быть сильным!

Um... Ok, just let that sink in... Oy, the explanations I give.

[zombie-laika.livejournal.com]

Спасибо! That really helped.

[schwarzer-tod.livejournal.com]

ha ha ha

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

In English, why is synonymous with what for, so the second one will be confusing, as you can answer

(почему) Why did you cheat on the test? - Because I have no conscience
(зачем) Why did you cheat on the test? - To get a better grade.

[cema.livejournal.com]

No, it's not synonymous. "Why" has been extended (recently) to include "what for" ("зачем"), but the old meaning of "почему" remains.

a side note

[mithgol.livejournal.com]

“What for?” should actually be translated as „для чего?“; however, „зачем?“ has a meaning that stands in between of „почему?“ and „для чего?“

So, „зачем?“ has flavours of both — “why?” and “what for?” mixed together.

that's like a spectrum

[mithgol.livejournal.com]

для чего? (=“what for?”; asking about the goal)
к чему?
зачем?
почему? (=“why?”; asking about the cause, about the reason)

[deathshot.livejournal.com]

You say true, I say thankya!

[oryx_and_crake]

There is one more meaning of "why" in English that can be confusing when you try to translate it into Russian. As in a dialog:
- Have you ever been to North Pole?
- No, why?

You can use neither "зачем" nor "почему" here. The correct translation is:

- Ты когда-нибудь бывал на Северном полюсе?
- Нет, а что?

Alternatively, you can say "Нет, а почему ты спрашиваешь?" but this sounds quite formal. Please note that in this case you should not omit the tail of the phrase (i.e. "Нет, а почему?" will be incorrect here.)

[v888.livejournal.com]

just to confuse more :) -
sometimes ZACHEM is used instead of POCHEMU (old? ironic?), e.g. ZACHEM VI DEVUSHKI KRASIVIH LYUBITE...

[oryx_and_crake]

No, they meant it, зачем вы любите means exactly "with what purpose do you love them, when everybody knows that this love brings only headache."

[noser.livejournal.com]

Still, they often use зачем in place of почему in poetry, when it rhymes better.

[oryx_and_crake]

Believe me, they would use ANYTHING in poetry if it rhymes better.
Remember a proverb: Ради красного словца не пожалеет родного отца.
(For the sake of saying something witty he would not stop at ridiculing his own father.)

[v888.livejournal.com]

they always say LYUBYAT NE ZA CHTO :) so I would not agree with your "with what purpose do you love them"...

seriously: that was an exception - "зачем" there clearly means "why" rather than "what for"

[yms.livejournal.com]

well, I think the true reason was the number of the syllables in the poetic line...

[denjs.livejournal.com]

can i try tell it in russian?

зачем ты делаешь "что-то"? - ты делаешь "что-то" для достижения "чегото"... и ничего ещё не случилось.
(for that?)
суть: какой цели ты хочешь добиться когда делаешь "чтото"...
цель твоих действий в будущем. Подразумевается, что твои действия это _причина_ для появления "чегото".



почему ты делаешь "что-то"?- уже "что-то случилось" и ты почемуто это делаешь.
(why?)
суть: что тебя заставило делать "чтото"...
причина твоих действий в прошлом. Подразумевается, что твои действия это _следствие_ появления чего-то...

____________
imho...

[oryx_and_crake]

I am sorry, but the working language of this community is English. See the community rules.
Please provide English translation of your comment, or delete it.

[denjs.livejournal.com]

translate?... it is hard but i will try ...

---

"зачем ты делаешь "что-то"?" - you do something to research something... but NOW nothing happends.
(for that you do this?)
what target you try to reach ?
the result(consequence) of your "movement" is in future.. your "movement" is the motive(cause)...


почему ты делаешь "что-то"?- something had happend in past and you do something...
(why?)
the motive(cause) for your "movement" is in past.. your "movement" is the consequence ...

____________
imho...

[cincinnat.livejournal.com]

почему means why
зачем means what for
But these words were closer in meaning before. In classical Russian poetry, e.g., зачем can be understood as why.

The same with когда. It means 'when',
but in Pushkin it can also mean 'if' (like in the second line of Eugene Onegin's 1 chapter).