ので

also: んで

の

で

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

Links a reason or cause to what follows. Compared with から, ので often sounds a little more objective, explanatory, or polite. After nouns and na-adjectives, use な＋ので, as in 休みなので.

Usage patterns

〈動どう詞し〉のでbecause [verb happened/happens]
雨あめが降ふったので、試し合あいは中ちゅう止しになった。
Because it rained, the match was called off.
〈形けい容よう詞し〉のでbecause it is [adjective]
忙いそがしいので、今日きょうは行いけません。
Since I'm busy, I can't go today.
〈物もの〉なのでsince it's [noun]
休やすみなので、ゆっくりできる。
Since it's a day off, I can take it easy.

Grammar

のでbecause; so (softer)N5

Related words

からN5sense 1
から and ので both mean 'because,' but から feels more direct and subjective while ので sounds more objective, explanatory, or polite.
そのためN3sense 2
そのため is the standard, clearly written way to say 'for that reason,' while sentence-initial ので for the same meaning sounds dated or colloquial.
なので
なので is the form ので takes after nouns and na-adjectives, and in casual modern speech it is also used sentence-initially to mean 'so/therefore,' overlapping with ので's dated sentence-initial use.
し
ので is a formal, neutral way to give a reason, whereas し is conversational and often implies additional unstated reasons.
なぜならN3
ので gives an objective reason mid-sentence and is mildly formal, whereas 何故なら opens a sentence to emphatically explain a preceding statement.

Don't confuse with

のに
ので and のに look and sound alike but are opposite in logic: ので gives a reason ('because'), while のに shows an unexpected contrast ('although').

Etymology

Historically analyzable as の plus the particle で, functioning together as a causal connector. This is a grammaticalized kana expression rather than a kanji-based word.