Learn Hardcore Romanian: Vecinul își pierde cheia toamna, din cauza frunzelor de pe trotuar. - The neighbor loses his key in autumn because of the leaves on the sidewalk.

își is the reflexive pronoun “his own,” combined with pierde (“loses”). So își pierde literally means “loses for himself,” i.e. in natural English, “loses his.”

Why do we need the reflexive pronoun își here? Can’t we just say pierde?

In Romanian, verbs of losing something usually use a reflexive pronoun to show the subject is personally affected. Saying Vecinul pierde cheia is grammatically possible but less idiomatic. Vecinul își pierde cheia clearly stresses that the neighbor loses his own key.

What does toamna mean, and why isn’t there a preposition like în before it?

toamna means “autumn” or “fall.” Used adverbially to indicate time, Romanian often omits în. Thus toamna = “in autumn.” You could also say în toamnă with exactly the same meaning.

What is the role of din cauza? How does it differ from pentru că?

din cauza means “because of” or “due to” and must be followed by a noun in the genitive. It introduces a cause expressed as a noun phrase (here frunzelor). pentru că is a conjunction meaning “because” and must be followed by a full clause (e.g., pentru că frunzele sunt ude).

How do we form the genitive after din cauza? Why is frunzelor plural?

After din cauza, the noun takes the genitive case. frunzele (the leaves) becomes frunzelor in genitive plural. It’s plural because there are many leaves causing the problem.

What is the difference between din cauza and datorită?

Both translate as “because of,” but din cauza usually introduces a negative or unwanted cause (“due to the leaves, he loses his key”). datorită often has a positive or neutral nuance (“thanks to” or “owing to” a favorable cause).

Why is there a comma before din cauza frunzelor de pe trotuar?

The comma separates the main clause (Vecinul își pierde cheia toamna) from the adverbial phrase of cause (din cauza frunzelor de pe trotuar). It marks a natural pause and improves clarity.

Why do we say frunzelor de pe trotuar instead of simply frunzelor pe trotuar or frunzele pe trotuar?

de pe trotuar literally means “from the sidewalk surface,” emphasizing that the leaves lie on it. You need de + pe to show they originate from or cover the sidewalk. Without de, pe trotuar would still mean “on the sidewalk,” but would feel less precise in describing the leaves’ location.

What does Vecinul mean, and why not Un vecin?

Vecinul is “the neighbor” (definite form) because we’re talking about a specific, known neighbor. In Romanian, the definite article is attached as a suffix (here -ul). Un vecin would mean “a neighbor,” introducing someone new or nonspecific.