Little words
why
Source:*čьProto-Slavic · “what”certain
Each language asks 'for what?' with its own preposition in front of the old pronoun *čь.
English
why
Polish
dlaczego
dlaˈtʂɛɡɔLearn freshDifferent words — learn this one fresh.
In all five languages
BCS script
- Russianпочему́počemupətɕɪˈmuinherited
по + чему 'to what'.
- Ukrainianчому́čomutʃɔˈmuinherited
Literally 'to what'.
- Polishdlaczegodlaˈtʂɛɡɔinherited
dla + czego 'for what'.
- Czechpročprotʃinherited
pro + č 'for what'.
- Bosnian-Croatian-Serbianzaštoзаштоˈzaʃtoinherited
za + što 'for what'.
- Englishwhy