Breakdown of Первый автобус отменили из-за снегопада.
автобус
bus
первый
first (1st)
из-за
because of; from behind
отменить
to cancel (pf)
снегопад
snowfall
Questions & Answers about Первый автобус отменили из-за снегопада.
Why use из-за here instead of потому что?
Из-за translates to "because of" or "due to" and is followed directly by a noun. You would use потому что ("because") if you were introducing a whole new phrase with a subject and a verb, like "because it was snowing". Also, из-за is commonly used for negative or external reasons that disrupt plans.
What case does из-за take, and how does it change the word for snowfall?
The preposition из-за always requires the Genitive case. The dictionary form of the word is снегопад (a masculine noun). To put it in the Genitive case, we add -а to the end, making it снегопада.
The English translation says "was canceled", but отменили looks like "they canceled". Why?
Russian frequently uses this "indefinite personal" construction to express passive ideas. By using the plural verb отменили without the pronoun они (they), the sentence puts the focus on the action rather than who did it. It literally means "they canceled the first bus," which naturally translates to "the first bus was canceled."
If отменили means "they canceled", what case is первый автобус?
It is in the Accusative case because it is the direct object—it is the thing that was canceled. Because автобус is an inanimate masculine noun, its Accusative form looks exactly the same as its Nominative (subject) form. This often tricks learners into thinking it is the subject of the sentence!
Learn Первый автобус отменили из-за снегопада and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free