Ways to say "because" beyond から and ので
から and ので give a reason and stop there, and they are usually enough. Most other ways to say "because" also say what kind of reason it is, such as an excuse or a fact you both know, and the kind decides what can follow. Two add nothing: につき is for signs, and ゆえ is for solemn writing.
| Form | What it says | Where |
|---|---|---|
| ものだから・もので | An excuse: you couldn't help it | Conversation |
| んだから・のだから | You know this, so… | Conversation |
| からには | Now that …, I will | Conversation and writing |
| 以上（は）, 上は | The same as からには | Formal speech and writing |
| ことだし | One reason among others, so let's… | Conversation and writing |
| からこそ | This is exactly why | Conversation and writing |
| ばこそ | The same as から | Novels, essays, speeches |
| だけに | What follows is all the stronger, good or bad | Conversation, reviews, news |
| だけあって・だけのことはある | As you'd expect: praise | Conversation, reviews |
| のことだから | Knowing him or her | Conversation and writing |
| ことから | The fact behind a name or a conclusion | Guidebooks, museum labels, news |
| とあって | A special occasion, so naturally… | News, narration |
| につき | Because of | Signs, notices |
| ゆえ（に） | Because, said solemnly | Essays, speeches, novels |
| こととて | A formal excuse, such as "it's our first time" | Formal letters, greetings |
ものだから・もので: explaining yourself
Full pageものだから・
ものだから is the "because" of apologies and excuses: the reason for something that went wrong, given as something you couldn't help. もので is softer, and ものですから is polite. Often the sentence ends at the reason.
The traffic was terrible, so I ended up being late for the meeting.
Sorry I'm late. The trains had stopped, you see.
んだから, からには, ことだし: a known fact, and what should follow
None of the three simply reports why something happened.
んだから・のだから: you know this, so…
Full pageのだから・
んだから, in writing のだから, takes a fact the other person already knows and uses it to press advice, an order or a "let's". To a boss or a teacher it easily sounds like a lecture.
You're not a child any more, so think it through for yourself.
We've come all this way, so let's look around a bit longer.
ものだから offers a reason the other person didn't know. んだから uses one they know already.
Sorry, it's my first time, so…
An excuse. もんで is もので in conversation.
It's your first time, so you don't need to be afraid of getting it wrong.
Encouragement.
からには・以上（は）・上は: now that it is settled
Full pageからには・
からには starts from something settled, a promise made or a job taken on, and says what has to follow, most often a duty or a resolve. To press a duty on someone, the everyday way is んだから. 以上（は） and 上は mean the same as からには.
Now that I have taken it on, I will see it through.
The usual one.
Now that I have taken it on, I will see it through.
Firmer and more formal: a matter of principle.
Now that I have taken it on, I will see it through.
Stiff and solemn, like a vow. Mostly written.
If we're going to do this, I want to go for the title.
Settled, but the doing is still ahead: "if you're going to…".
ことだし: one reason, then a suggestion
Full pageことだしN2
ことだし points to one circumstance, hinting that there are other reasons too, and goes on to a suggestion or a decision. It is a し that sounds as if you had weighed things up, where んだから is a push. The polite form is ことですし.
Since we're all here together, let's take a photo to remember it.
It's getting late, too, so let's finish here for today.
からこそ and ばこそ: precisely because
からこそ singles out one reason as the one that matters: this is exactly why, though it may not be the reason you'd expect. It is earnest, and common in advice and thanks.
I'm saying this because I'm worried about you.
Gives the reason.
It's because I'm worried about you that I'm saying this.
Answers a doubt: you thought I was only being unkind.
The plan failed once. That is exactly why the problems became clear.
ばこそ means the same, in novels, essays and speeches. The ば isn't "if": the reason is a fact.
It was precisely because I care about his future that I deliberately gave him a harsh opinion.
It is only thanks to your support that we have been able to keep going this far.
〜があればこそ is "only thanks to", in speeches of thanks.
Where it goes wrong
A request can't follow ものだから. It accounts for something that has already happened.
Not said: 時間が
(We have no time, so please hurry.)
People say 時間がないので、急いでください.
Used for a plain report of what happened, んだから sounds like arguing.
Not said: 熱が
(I had a fever, so I stayed home from school.)
People say 熱があったので、学校を休みました.
からこそ is not a stronger から. A plain account of what went wrong singles nothing out.
Not said: 電車が
(It was precisely because the train was late that I didn't make it to the meeting in time.)
It is plain から: 電車が遅れたから.
だけに, だけあって, のことだから: a reason that leads you to expect something
だけに: all the more
Full pageだけにN2
だけに says that a reason makes what follows all the stronger, for good or bad. Where both fit, からこそ singles out the reason instead.
I had been expecting a lot, so I was all the more disappointed.
The hopes made the let-down worse.
It's because I was expecting so much that I was disappointed.
The hopes are singled out as the reason.
だけあって・だけのことはある: as you'd expect
Full pageだけあって・
だけあって is praise that says where the quality comes from: experience, a name, a price. だけのことはある gives the same praise in a sentence of its own, and either often opens with さすが. About yourself, both sound like boasting.
Just what you'd expect from a professional: the work gets done fast.
It was worth the money. The food and the service were both superb.
About your own money or effort, though, だけのことはあった is "it was worth it".
だけに or だけあって?
Where there is something to admire, either can be said. A let-down takes only だけに.
As you'd expect from a luxury hotel, the service is wonderful.
Praise.
It is a luxury hotel, so naturally the service is wonderful.
Also said, and less openly admiring.
Precisely because it is a luxury hotel, poor service is all the more disappointing.
A let-down.
のことだから: knowing him or her
Full pageのことだからN2
After a person you know well, のことだから goes by what they are like: you say what you are sure they will do.
Knowing him, he's sure to come.
Kenta is always late when we meet up. Knowing him, he'll be late again today.
ことから, とあって, につき: in guidebooks, news and notices
ことから: the fact behind a name or a conclusion
Full pageことからN3
ことから gives a fact anyone can check as the reason for a name or a conclusion. It doesn't give your own reason for what you do.
a name
You can see Mt Fuji from it, which is why this slope is called Fujimi-zaka, "Fuji-view slope".
a conclusion
The windows are fogged up on the inside, which suggests that the humidity indoors is high.
とあって: a special occasion, so naturally…
Full pageとあってN1
とあって is a reporter's "because": something makes the occasion special, and the natural result is one everyone can see. Nothing you decide or ask for can follow it.
With it being the first day of a three-day weekend, the expressways were badly jammed from the morning on.
につき: on signs and notices
Full pageにつきN3
After a noun on a sign or a notice, につき is "because of": why something is closed or changed. Said to a person, it sounds like a notice read aloud.
Road closed for construction.
We are closed today for our regular day off.
ゆえ（に） and こととて: solemn and old-fashioned
Full pageゆえ（に）・
ゆえ（に） is a solemn "because" for any kind of reason. In conversation it sounds like a period drama. The ordinary written word is ため.
Because of poverty, he gave up on continuing his education.
After a clause it is がゆえに: 知ったがゆえに.
こととて is just as old-fashioned. In a letter of apology or a formal greeting it asks for understanding, with an excuse such as "it is our first time" or "I didn't know". Where a letter has 初めてのこととて, people in conversation say 初めてなもので.
I had no idea. Please forgive my rudeness.
知らぬ is an older 知らない.
Other kinds of "because"
なぜなら～からN3
"The reason is that…": your opinion, then the reason in a sentence of its own. For essays and presentations.
I support this plan. The reason is that it can increase local employment.
じゃあるまいしN1Spoken
"It's not as if…": 〜じゃないんだから, said more bluntly, to scold or to reassure.
You're not a child. Do that much yourself.
手前N1
"Having said so": you can't back out without losing face.
I said I would go, so I can't very well not go.
Pages in this comparison
- ものだから・
もので・ ものですからbecause (explaining yourself) · N3 - のだから・
んだからsince; given that (as you know) · N3 - からには・
以上（は）・ 上はnow that; given that · N2 - ことだしsince …, for one thing · N2
- からこそprecisely because · N3
- ばこそprecisely because · N1
- だけにprecisely because; all the more · N2
- だけあって・
だけのことはあるas you'd expect from; worth it · N2 - のことだからknowing him; knowing her · N2
- ことからfrom the fact that; which is why · N3
- とあってwith it being …, naturally · N1
- につきper; because of (on notices) · N3
- ゆえ（に）・
がゆえ（に）because (solemn) · N1 - こととてsince … (asking for allowances) · N1