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Russian grammar Part of Chapter 10

CEFR A2-B1

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Russian Subordinating Conjunctions: что, чтобы, потому что, если

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 12 October 2026

A subordinating conjunction starts a clause of its own: that, so that, because, if, whether. Russian has one firm rule for all of them that English lacks: a comma always marks the clause off. Two of them also change the verb after them, and whether is a different word from if.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Which word joins the two halves?

  1. Я знаю, он здесь.

  2. Я хочу, ты пришёл.

  3. Я не знаю, придёт он.

The whole system on one screen

ConjunctionMeaningExample
that , .
because , .
so, therefore , .
so that, in order to , .
if (a condition) , .
whether , .
when , .
although , .

In order: I know he's here. I'm at home because I'm tired. I'm tired, so I'm at home. I came to help. If you like, I'll help. I don't know whether he'll come. When I arrive, I'll ring. He's working, although he's tired.

Что: that, and rarely dropped

English says I know he's here as easily as I know that he's here. Russian keeps the что, and the comma before it:

  • , . - I know (that) he's here.
  • , . - He said (that) he was working.
  • , . - Mum said everything was fine.

Notice the second example: Russian keeps the tense of the words he actually said, I'm working, where English shifts it to was.

The one common exception is casual speech after verbs of thinking, where the can go:

  • , . - I think he's at home.

With , and most other verbs, put the in.

Потому что and поэтому point opposite ways

The box marks the cause and the result:

the causethe resultWhat do the colours mean?

Both contain , and learners swap them constantly. Потому что introduces the cause; поэтому introduces the result:

WordRussianEnglish
, .I'm at home because I'm tired.
, .I'm tired, so I'm at home.

Get them backwards and your sentence says the reverse of what you meant. also answers ? on its own, as in English:

  • ? . - Why are you at home? Because I'm tired.

Чтобы: an infinitive, or the past form

The past-tense ending is marked:

the past-tense -лWhat do the colours mean?

Чтобы has two shapes, and the subject decides which:

SubjectExampleEnglish
same: infinitive , .I came to help.
new: past form , .I want you to ring.

When someone else is meant to do the thing, the verb after takes the past form, even when the meaning is present or future:

  • , . - Tell him to ring.
  • , . - I want you to do it.
  • , . - I want you to come.

Why the past? is plus , the particle of the conditional, and with a subject of its own takes the past form: ., I would come. So is wrong.

With the same subject, needs no at all:

  • . - I want to come.

Если and когда: the future, when the time is future

The box marks the future:

the future after если and когдаWhat do the colours mean?

English says if he comes and when I get home, in the present, about a future event. Russian uses the future, because the time is future:

  • , . - If he comes, I'll tell him.
  • , . - When I get home, I'll ring.

The perfective future is usually the one you want; the Russian future tense has the forms. For something that happens regularly, both halves stay in the present: , ., when I'm at home, I work.

Ли: the whether that is not если

English uses if for two things: a condition (if he comes, I'll tell him) and an indirect question (I don't know if he'll come). Russian splits them. Если is the condition. For whether, Russian puts the particle ли straight after the word in question, usually the verb:

ли sits straight after the verb
Main clause
Verb
ли
The rest
,
,

I don’t know whether he’ll come. I asked if he knew.

  • , . - I don't know whether he'll come.
  • , . - I asked if he knew.

Word for word, I don't know, will-come whether he. In conversation you will also hear the question kept whole with , or not:

  • , . - I don't know whether he'll come or not.

More joiners: хотя, пока, как только

WordMeaningExample
although , .
while , .
until, .
as soon as , .
after all, you know , .

In order: he's working, although he's tired. While you sleep, I work. Wait until I come. As soon as he arrived, we started. I'm tired; it's late, after all.

Пока is also the everyday bye, the same word doing a different job. With it means until, and that denies nothing: it is how Russian builds until.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
, ... , .whether is , not
the past form after
, same subject: the infinitive
. , .the comma is compulsory

What to do next

Conjunctions are on the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Russian specification at Foundation and Higher tier.

  1. Learn and as a pair, each with its example.
  2. Say , . until the feels natural.
  3. Do the drill below. The A1 joining words, , and , are in Russian conjunctions.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/5

Which word joins the two halves?

  1. Я знаю, он здесь.

  2. Я хочу, ты пришёл.

  3. Я не знаю, придёт он.

  4. Я пришёл, помочь.

  5. Я спросил, знает он.

Build the word

0/3

After чтобы with a new subject: build the past form.

  1. Скажи ему, чтобы он ___ (позвонить).

    Type Latin letters or Cyrillic - spasibo works too

    Your word is empty.

  2. Я хочу, чтобы он ___ это (сделать).

    Type Latin letters or Cyrillic - spasibo works too

    Your word is empty.

  3. Мама хочет, чтобы он ___ это (сказать).

    Type Latin letters or Cyrillic - spasibo works too

    Your word is empty.

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the word that fits each gap.

A day at home

Сегодня я дома. Почему? я устал. Я устал, я не пошёл на работу. Мама сказала, всё хорошо. Она хочет, я спал. мне станет лучше, я позвоню.

Gap 1 of 5

Spot the mistake

0/3

Tap the mistake.

Matching

0/5

Match each conjunction to its meaning.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say because in Russian?
, two words, with a comma before them in mid-sentence: , , I am at home because I am tired. Its partner means so or therefore and points the other way: , . Swapping them reverses cause and effect.
When do you use in Russian?
For purpose, in order to, and for wanting or asking someone else to do something. With the same subject it takes an infinitive: , , I came to help. With a different subject, the verb after it goes into the past form, whatever the actual time: , , I want you to come.
How do you say whether in Russian?
Not with . Russian uses the particle , placed straight after the word being asked about, usually the verb: , , I don't know whether he will come. In conversation you will also hear , . means if only in a condition.
Can you leave out in Russian, like English that?
Rarely. English says I know he's here as easily as I know that he's here; Russian keeps the and the comma: , . The main exception is casual speech after verbs of thinking: , , I think he's at home.
Do you need a comma before in Russian?
Yes. A comma marks off every clause that , , , , or starts: before it in mid-sentence, and after the whole clause when it comes first: , . Leaving it out is a punctuation mistake, not a matter of style.