Why

Russian Meaning

почему

зачем

отчего

причина

основание

загадка

задача

English Meaning

  1. For what purpose, reason, or cause; with what intention, justification, or motive: Why is the door shut? Why do birds sing?
  2. The reason, cause, or purpose for which: I know why you left.
  3. Usage Problem On account of which; for which: "The reason why [regular verbs] are called regular is that we can predict what all the other three forms are” ( Randolph Quirk).
  4. The cause or intention underlying a given action or situation: studying the whys of antisocial behavior.
  5. A difficult problem or question.
  6. Used to express mild surprise, indignation, or impatience.