You will often come across 因为……所以…… (yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...) in both written and spoken Chinese. This pattern will give your Chinese a clear logical structure, and can help make you more persuasive. Using 因为 (yīnwèi) by Itself to Explain Causes ----------------------------------------------- A common way to explain causes in Chinese is with 因为 (yīnwèi). This is equivalent to "because" in English. Usually 因为 (yīnwèi) will begin a new phrase in a sentence. ### Structure In this structure, we first state the result, and then give the reason in the next statement after the 因为 (yīnwèi).

Result, 因为 + Reason

### Examples

- 他学得很快，因为他很聪明。Tā xué de hěn kuài, yīnwèi tā hěn cōngming.He learns fast because he is smart. - 我爱吃四川菜，因为很辣。 Wǒ ài chī Sìchuān cài, yīnwèi hěn là. I love eating Sichuan food because it's very spicy. - 我在学习中文，因为我想去中国。Wǒ zài xuéxí Zhōngwén, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó.I am studying Chinese because I want to go to China. - 我不喜欢她，因为她不友好。Wǒ bù xǐhuan tā, yīnwèi tā bù yǒuhǎo.I don't like her because she is very unfriendly. - 今天我们很忙，因为有很多工作。Jīntiān wǒmen hěn máng, yīnwèi yǒu hěn duō gōngzuò. We are very busy today because we have lots of work.

Using 所以 (suǒyǐ) by Itself to Explain Results ----------------------------------------------- Just as 因为 (yīnwèi) can be used to explain causes, 所以 (suǒyǐ) can be used to explain results. This is the equivalent of "so…" or "therefore…" in English. ### Structure This pattern is similar to the expression using both 因为 (yīnwèi) and 所以 (suǒyǐ), but it leaves out the beginning 因为 (yīnwèi). This structure is more informal.

Reason, 所以 + Result

### Examples

- 汉字太难了，所以我不想学。Hànzì tài nán le, suǒyǐ wǒ bù xiǎng xué.Chinese characters are too hard, so I don't want to study them. - 她很漂亮，所以很多男孩喜欢她。Tā hěn piàoliang, suǒyǐ hěn duō nánhái xǐhuan tā.She is beautiful, so a lot of boys like her. - 他找到工作了，所以很高兴。Tā zhǎodào gōngzuò le, suǒyǐ hěn gāoxìng.He found a job so he's happy. - 我太忙了，所以没有时间给你打电话。Wǒ tài máng le, suǒyǐ méiyǒu shíjiān gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.I was too busy, so I didn't have time to give you a call. - 我们公司有很多外国人，所以我们要说英文。Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu hěn duō wàiguó rén, suǒyǐ wǒmen yào shuō Yīngwén.There are a lot of foreigners in our company, so we need to speak English.

Using 因为 (yīnwèi) and 所以 (suǒyǐ) Together --------------------------------------------- The full pattern 因为……所以…… (yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...) is used to clearly indicate cause and effect. They could be thought of as equating to: "Since \_\_\_ happened, so \_\_\_ happened." It sounds weird to use both "since" and "so" in one sentence in English, but it makes everything crystal clear in Chinese. ### Structure

因为 + Cause, 所以 + Effect

This expresses that because of *cause*, therefore there is a *result*. ### Examples

- 因为我有一个中国女朋友，所以我要学中文。Yīnwèi wǒ yǒu yī gè Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou, suǒyǐ wǒ yào xué Zhōngwén.Since I have a Chinese girlfriend, I need to study Chinese. - 因为他生病了，所以没去上课。 Yīnwèi tā shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ méi qù shàngkè.Since he was sick, he didn't go to class. - 因为我很累，所以要休息。Yīnwèi wǒ hěn lèi, suǒyǐ yào xiūxi.I'm very tired, so I want to rest. - 因为太远了，所以我不想去。Yīnwèi tài yuǎn le, suǒyǐ wǒ bù xiǎng qù.Since it's too far, I don't want to go. - 因为太忙，所以我们没有时间吃中饭。 Yīnwèi tài máng, suǒyǐ wǒmen méiyǒu shíjiān chī zhōngfàn.We were too busy, so none of us had time to eat lunch.

See also -------- - [Stating the effect before the cause](Stating_the_effect_before_the_cause "wikilink") (advanced article) Sources and further reading --------------------------- ### Books - [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (pp. 272-4) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108) - [Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (p. 79) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p. 108) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385) ### Websites - Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [How to use 因为 and 由于](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0201.html) [Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")