Comparison6 pagesJLPT N5 to N4

Ways to say "because"

から and ので are the everyday "because". Either fits most sentences, so they are the two to start with; ので is the softer one. The other forms fit only some sentences. What follows the て-form or a noun with で is a feeling or something that happened, not a request or a suggestion. ため belongs to announcements and signs.

Form	What it says	Where
から	"Because", stated outright	Friends and family; anyone, for advice and offers
ので	"Because", said more softly	Anyone; above all a boss, a teacher, a stranger
んです	The reason, with no word for "because"	Conversation; how people answer "why?"
The て-form	The reason for a feeling, for what happened, for thanks or an apology	Everyday
Noun + で	"Because of" a thing: snow, a cold	Everyday
ため（に）	"Because" in formal language	Station announcements, signs, news, work email

から: the plain "because"

Full pageからN5

With friends and family から is the usual "because", and with anyone it fits advice, a warning or an offer. It goes at the end of the reason, where English puts "because" in front, so "so" is often the closer translation.

危あぶないから、気きをつけてください。

It is dangerous, so please be careful.

ちょっと待まっていてください。すぐ戻もどりますから。

Please wait here a moment. I'll be right back.

A reason can come afterward, as a sentence of its own. Here English has no "because" at all.

ので: the softer "because"

Full pageのでN5

ので means what から means and is softer. It is the one for a boss, a teacher or a stranger, when you explain yourself or ask a favor. People often stop at ので and leave the rest unsaid, which makes a refusal gentler.

日本にほん語ごがまだ上手じょうずではないので、ゆっくり話はなしてください。

I am not very good at Japanese yet, so please speak slowly.

すみません、その日ひは予よ定ていがあるので……。

I'm sorry, I have plans that day, so…

から or ので?

Here is one reason for going home early, said both ways.

頭あたまが痛いたいから、今日きょうは早はやく帰かえります。

I have a headache, so I am leaving early today.

Your reason, stated outright. To a boss it can sound blunt, as if you were arguing your case.

頭あたまが痛いたいので、今日きょうは早はやく帰かえります。

I have a headache, so I am leaving early today.

The same reason, given more softly, as the situation you are in.

After a noun or a な-adjective, から needs だ and ので takes な.

今日きょうは日にち曜よう日びだから、銀ぎん行こうは休やすみだよ。

It's Sunday today, so the bank is closed.

Said to a friend. Without だ, 日にち曜よう日びから is "from Sunday".

今日きょうは日にち曜よう日びなので、銀ぎん行こうは休やすみです。

Today is Sunday, so the bank is closed.

Said politely. Plain speech has なので too: だので is not said.

Asked why: からです or んです

Full pageんですN5

An answer to "why?" is just the reason, ending in から, or からです in polite speech. The other way to answer is んです, or んだ with friends. のでです is not said.

Someone asks どうして遅おくれたんですか, "Why were you late?"

電でん車しゃが遅おくれたからです。

Because the train was delayed.

A reason, with "because".

電でん車しゃが遅おくれたんです。

The train was delayed.

A reason too, with no word for "because".

Sounds odd: 電でん車しゃが遅おくれました。

The train was delayed.

A report, not a reason.

て・なくて: the reason for a feeling, or for what happened

Full pageて・なくてN4

The て-form gives the reason for how you felt, for something you couldn't do, or for something that happened. The negative is なくて. With a feeling, English often says "to": glad to see you.

また会あえてうれしいです。

I'm glad to see you again.

パーティーに行いけなくて、残ざん念ねんです。

It's a shame I can't come to the party.

What you thank someone for or apologize for takes the て-form too, not から or ので.

遅おそくなって、すみません。

I'm sorry I'm late.

今日きょうは手て伝つだってくれて、ありがとう。

Thanks for helping today.

Thanks need くれて: the helping was done for you.

Noun + で: when the cause is a thing

Full pageでN5

A noun with で gives the cause in one word: weather, an illness, an accident. After it comes what happened as a result.

大おお雪ゆきで電でん車しゃが止とまりました。

The trains stopped because of heavy snow.

私わたしは風邪かぜで三みっ日か間かん仕し事ごとを休やすみました。

I took three days off work because of a cold.

Where it goes wrong

A request, an invitation or a suggestion can't follow a reason in the て-form, or a noun with で. Before one of those, the reason takes から or ので.

時じ間かんがなくて、朝あさご飯はんが食たべられませんでした。

I had no time, so I couldn't eat breakfast.

Something you couldn't do. The て-form fits.

Not said: 時じ間かんがなくて、急いそぎましょう。

(We have no time, so let's hurry.)

A suggestion can't follow the て-form.

時じ間かんがないから、急いそぎましょう。

We don't have much time, so let's hurry.

A suggestion can follow から.

Not said: 雪ゆきで、早はやく帰かえりましょう。

(Because of the snow, let's go home early.)

雪ゆきだから、早はやく帰かえりましょう.

ため: in announcements and on signs

Full pageため・ためにN4

ため, or ために, is the formal "because" of station announcements, signs, the news and work email. Said to a friend, it sounds like reading out a notice.

雪ゆきのため、電でん車しゃが遅おくれています。

Trains are running late because of the snow.

After a noun: のため. To a friend, the same cause is 雪ゆきで.

After an aim, the same word is "in order to". The verb usually shows which meaning it has.

留りゅう学がくするために、会かい社しゃを辞やめました。

I quit my job in order to study abroad.

Studying abroad is still ahead: the aim.

留りゅう学がくしたために、卒そつ業ぎょうが一いち年ねん遅おくれました。

Because I studied abroad, I graduated a year late.

It has already happened: the cause.

Other ways to give a reason

しN4

One reason out of several: "for one thing". Each し adds a reason, and even one hints at more.

この店みせは安やすいし、駅えきから近ちかいし、よく来きます。

This place is cheap, and it's close to the station, so I come here a lot.

だからN5

At the start of a new sentence: "so". The reason is the sentence before it.

明日あしたは朝あさが早はやい。だから、もう寝ねる。

I have an early morning tomorrow, so I'm going to bed now.

によって・によるN3

The "because of" of news reports, where conversation has で. Notices shorten it to により.

大おお雪ゆきによって電でん車しゃが止とまった。

The trains stopped due to heavy snow.