Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 因为 AND 所以
We often use logical conjunctions to give sentences more depth and 因为 and 所以 do just that in Mandarin Chinese.
For example, “因为（yīn wéi）…所以（suǒ yǐ）…” is one of the logical conjunctions which is often used to describe causality.
USING 因为 TO EXPLAIN CAUSES
“因为” in Chinese is the same as “because” in English.
You can use 因为 when you want to clarify the principle of something to others. Or, when you need tell the teacher why you were late for school, for example.
In those sentences, we always state the results before.
PATTERN
Result + 因为 + Reason
When you observe these sentences, you should notice that “因为” always starts a new phrase in the sentence.
USING 所以 TO EXPLAIN RESULTS
“所以” is used to tell the consequences of things.
The English equivalent of “所以” is “therefore…” or “so…”.
PATTERN
Reason + 所以 + Result
HOW TO USE 因为 AND 所以 TOGETHER
Finally, we can put “ 因为 ” and “ 所以” together to indicate the logic of things.
It’s like “Since…happened, so…happened.” in English.
This may seem weird, because in English, we don’t usually use “since” and “so” together in one sentence. But it makes everything crystal clear in Chinese!
PATTERN
因为 + Cause，所以 + Result
This expresses that because of the cause, therefore there is a result.
Learn Mandarin with Flexi Classes
Book online classes with the best teachers in the industry.
FAQs
When is 因为 used in Chinese?
We can use 因为 when we want to clarify the principle of something to others.
It can translate as “because” in English.
What is the English equivalent of “因为…所以”?
If we put “ 因为 ” and “ 所以” together, it’s like “Since…happened, so…happened” in English.
How to pronounce “因为…所以”?
“因为…所以” is pronounced yīn wéi…suǒ yǐ.
How to use 因为 in a sentence?
The sentence structure of 因为 is: The result + 因为 + Reason.
Examples:
我不喜欢夏天，因为夏天太热了。wǒ bú xǐ huān xià tiān, yīn wéi xià tiān tài rè le | I don’t like summer because it’s too hot.
我很喜欢派对，因为派对让我很放松。wǒ hěn xǐ huān pài duì，yīn wéi pài duì ràng wǒ hěn fàng sōng | I love parties because they allow me to relax.
How to use 所以 in a sentence?
The sentence structure of 所以 is: The reason + 所以 + Result
Examples:
他通过了考试，所以他很高兴。tā tōng guò le kǎo shì, suǒ yǐ tā hěn gāo xìng | He passed the exam, so he is happy.
她很勤奋，所以她成绩很好。tā hěn qín fèn, suǒ yǐ tā chéng jì hěn hǎo | She is very diligent, so she gets good grades.
How to use 因为 and 所以 in a sentence?
The sentence structure of 因为…所以 is:
因为 + Cause，所以 + Result
Examples:
因为我今天不舒服，所以我没去上课。yīn wéi wǒ jīn tiān bú shū fú，suǒ yǐ wǒ méi qù shàng kè | I didn’t go to class because I wasn’t feeling well today.
因为太远了，所以我不想去。yīn wéi tài yuǎn le，suǒ yǐ wǒ bú xiǎng qù | I don’t want to go because it’s too far.