JLPT N5EverydayConversational

だからso; that's why

だから starts a new sentence with "so" or "that's why". The reason is the sentence before it. It is the everyday word in conversation.

so

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.

that's why

電でん車しゃが止とまっている。だから、駅えきがこんなに混こんでいるんだ。

The trains have stopped. That's why the station is so crowded.

How to form it

Reason。だから、+ what follows

It comes first in the new sentence, usually with a comma after it. The polite form is ですから.

So

What follows だから can be a decision, a suggestion, a request, or simply the result.

外そとは寒さむい。だから、コートを着きよう。

It's cold outside, so let's wear coats.

もう夜よる遅おそい。だから、続つづきは明日あしたにしよう。

It's already late at night, so let's continue tomorrow.

この店みせは月げつ曜よう日びが休やすみだ。だから、今日きょうは開あいていない。

This shop is closed on Mondays. That's why it isn't open today.

この道みちは工こう事じ中ちゅうです。ですから、駅えきへは別べつの道みちをお使つかいください。

This road is under construction, so please take another route to the station.

"So", not "because"

What comes after だから is the result; the reason came before it. English speakers reach for it to say "because", and the sentence comes out backwards. "Because" is から, at the end of the reason.

Not said: 今日きょうは出でかけない。だから、雨あめが降ふっている。

(I'm not going out today. Because it's raining.)

Say 雨あめが降ふっているから、今日きょうは出でかけない.

Inside one sentence, after a noun or a な-adjective, だから is that から with だ in front of it.

今日きょうは店みせが休やすみだ。だから、また明日あした来こよう。

The shop is closed today, so let's come back tomorrow.

Two sentences. だから starts the second: "so".

今日きょうは店みせが休やすみだから、また明日あした来こよう。

The shop is closed today, so let's come back tomorrow.

One sentence. だ and から close the reason: "because".

だから…んだ: so that's why

You find out the reason for something you had noticed. だから with んだ or んですね at the end is "so that's why".

A

田た中なかさんは十じゅう年ねんアメリカに住すんでいたんですよ。

Tanaka lived in America for ten years, you know.

B

だから英えい語ごが上手じょうずなんですね。

So that's why he is good at English.

Starting a reply: "like I said"

When someone asks again about something you have already explained, a reply that opens with だから means "as I told you". It sounds impatient, and ですから is no gentler. A plain answer to どうして ends in から.

A

本ほん当とうに来こないの？どうして？

You're really not coming? Why?

B

だから、明日あしたテストがあるんだよ。

Like I said, I have a test tomorrow.

B has already explained once. The first time it was 明日あしたテストがあるから.

なので: a softer "so"

In conversation many people also start a sentence with なので. It is a softer "so", and unlike だから it is as common in polite talk as in casual. It is only this plain "so": it does not open "so that's why" or "like I said". It stays out of careful writing; in a report or an essay the word is そのため.

明日あしたは朝あさから仕し事ごとです。なので、今日きょうは早はやく帰かえります。

I have work from the morning tomorrow. So I'm going home early today.

Close neighbours

からN5

"Because". It goes at the end of the reason.

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.

それでN4

Also "so", for telling what happened next. "So let's…" and "so please…" follow だから, not それで.

急きゅうに熱ねつが出でた。それで、午ご後ごの授じゅ業ぎょうを休やすんだ。

I suddenly came down with a fever, so I missed my afternoon classes.

そのためN3

"Because of that". For reports and news, where だから sounds too chatty.

昨さく夜やから強つよい風かぜが続つづいている。そのため、船ふねは港みなとに戻もどれない。

Strong winds have continued since last night. Because of that, the boats cannot return to port.

Check yourself

1Which one makes sense?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is B saying?

A「今日きょうは祭まつりがあるんですよ。」　B「だから人ひとが多おおいんですね。」

Choose an answer to see why.

3You ask a friend a second time why they won't lend you their bike, and the reply opens with だから. How does it sound?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

彼かれは毎まい日にち練れん習しゅうしている。だから、上手じょうずなんだ。

He practices every day. That's why he is good at it.

雨あめが激はげしくなってきた。だから、今日きょうは早はやく帰かえろう。

The rain is getting heavier, so let's go home early today.

明日あしたは朝あさ早はやく出しゅっ発ぱつする。だから、今こん夜やは荷に物もつを準じゅん備びしておこう。

We are leaving early tomorrow, so let's get our luggage ready tonight.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "so" and "therefore"