“Because of” in Italian
The English expression “because of” is typically translated in Italian as either a causa di or per via di. Just like in English, it is used to indicate the reason or cause for something.
Both expressions can be used interchangeably, so it really depends on what you prefer using and what sounds best for you. Personally, I always use a causa di: I just like it more!
- per via di
Ho fatto tardi per via del traffico.
I was late because of the traffic.
- a causa di
La pianta è morta a causa del freddo.
The plant died because of the cold.
“Per via di” or “a Causa di”
Use
As I mentioned before, these two expressions are basically synonyms in Italian and can be used interchangeably.
Ho fatto tardi per via del traffico – Ho fatto tardi a causa del traffico
I was late because of the traffic.
The only tiny difference is that per via di is used with a more neutral connotation than a causa di, meaning that it merely describes the reason why something happened without implying neither a positive nor negative effect.
Per via di un altro impegno, non sarò presente alla riunione.
Due to another commitment, I will not be present at the meeting.
As you can see, per via di simply explains a cause-and-effect situation without blaming anything or anyone.
A causa di, on the other hand, slightly conveys a negative connotation, and it is usually employed to describe a negative effect, with the intention of blaming something or someone.
Mi sono ammalata a causa del maltempo.
I got ill because of the bad weather.
Rules
As you may have noticed, these two expressions are followed by a noun. You might have also noticed that these nouns are introduced by the preposition di, as integral and mandatory part of the expressions.
Always remember that when a preposition is followed by a definite article, it mandatorily transforms into a preposizione articolata, therefore resulting in:
| Preposizione “di” | il | lo | la | l’ | i | gli | le |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| di | del | dello | della | dell’ | dei | degli | delle |
Non siamo riusciti ad arrampicare a causa del maltempo.
We could not climb because of the bad weather.
La strada è chiusa per via dei lavori.
The road is closed because of roadworks.
The preposition, instead, does not vary when followed by an indefinite article.
A causa di un imprevisto, sono dovuta uscire.
I had to go out due to an unforeseen event.
Ho dato a Luca 10€ per via di una scommessa che avevamo fatto.
I gave Luca 10€ due to a bet we had.
