When speaking Italian, it is all too easy to find yourself stuck in the trap of using perché whenever you want to say because. In order to sound more like a native speaker however, it is important to try and expand your vocabulary by learning some common synonyms.
One such synonym is siccome which can translate as because, given that, since, or seeing as how. The combination of sì (yes) and come (how), it is used frequently in both spoken and written Italian.
Learn with our video and podcast
Unlike many other conjunctions, siccome does not take the subjunctive, but rather the indicative. This is because, like perché, it indicates certainty. What’s more, because it is used to introduce a causal phrase (proposizione causale), it mustn’t be followed by che (that).
Siccome piove, oggi non usciamo.
(Incorrect: Siccome piova, oggi non usciamo.)
(Incorrect: Siccome che piove, oggi non usciamo.)
Since it’s raining, we aren’t going out today.
Other possible meanings mostly confined to literature are come (how), appena che (as soon as), and in quanto (inasmuch).
Some important synonyms worth learning for spoken Italian are:
- dato che = given that
- visto che = given that, considering that
- poiché = since, seeing as how
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
