Breakdown of Благодаря усилиям команды это успешный проект.
это
this / it is
проект
the project
успешный
successful
команда
team
благодаря
thanks to
усилие
the effort
Questions & Answers about Благодаря усилиям команды это успешный проект.
Why does усилиям have the -ям ending here?
It is in the dative case, which is required by the preposition благодаря (thanks to). Усилиям is the dative plural of the neuter noun усилие (effort).
Doesn't благодаря look like the gerund for the verb 'to thank'?
Yes, it originally comes from the verbal adverb (gerund) of благодарить (to thank). Over time, it became a standard preposition meaning 'thanks to' or 'due to' (used for a positive cause). It continues to take the dative case, just like the verb it comes from.
Why is команды in the genitive case? Shouldn't it also be dative after благодаря?
Only the direct object of the preposition (усилиям) is forced into the dative case. Команды is in the genitive case because it simply shows possession right after a noun: the efforts of the team.
Could we use из-за instead of благодаря in this sentence?
Not naturally. The preposition из-за (because of) usually implies a negative cause, like a delay or a mistake. Since a successful project is a positive outcome, благодаря is the correct choice here.
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