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  <h1>Cause and effect with "<span class="pinyinst">yinwei</span>" and "<span class="pinyinst">suoyi</span>" "<span class="hanzist">因为……所以……</span>"</h1>

  <p>You will often come across <span class="hanzi">因为……所以……</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...</span>) in both written and spoken Chinese. This pattern will give your Chinese a clear logical structure, and can help make you more persuasive.</p>

  <h2 id="using-因为-yīnwèi-by-itself-to-explain-causes">Using <span class="hanzist">因为</span> (<span class="pinyinst">yīnwèi</span>) by Itself to Explain Causes</h2>

  <p>A common way to explain causes in Chinese is with <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>). This is equivalent to "because" in English. Usually <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>) will begin a new phrase in a sentence.</p>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>In this structure, we first state the result, and then give the reason in the next statement after the <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>).</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Result, <span class="hanzist">因为</span> + Reason</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他 学 得 很 快， 因为 他 很 聪明。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā xué de hěn kuài, yīnwèi tā hěn cōngming.</span> <br/> He learns fast because he is smart.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 爱 吃 四川 菜， 因为 很 辣。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ ài chī Sìchuān cài, yīnwèi hěn là.</span> <br/> I love eating Sichuan food because it's very spicy.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 在 学习 中文 ， 因为 我 想 去 中国。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài xuéxí Zhōngwén, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó.</span> <br/> I am studying Chinese because I want to go to China.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 不 喜欢 她，因为 她 不 友好。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuan tā, yīnwèi tā bù yǒuhǎo.</span> <br/> I don't like her because she is very unfriendly.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">今天 我们 很 忙，因为 有 很 多 工作。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> Jīntiān wǒmen hěn máng, yīnwèi yǒu hěn duō gōngzuò.</span> <br/> We are very busy today because we have lots of work.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="using-所以-suǒyǐ-by-itself-to-explain-results">Using <span class="hanzist">所以</span> (<span class="pinyinst">suǒyǐ</span>) by Itself to Explain Results</h2>

  <p>Just as <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>) can be used to explain causes, <span class="hanzi">所以</span> (<span class="pinyin">suǒyǐ</span>) can be used to explain results. This is the equivalent of "<b>so…</b>" or "<b>therefore…</b>" in English.</p>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <p>This pattern is similar to the expression using both <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>) and <span class="hanzi">所以</span> (<span class="pinyin">suǒyǐ</span>), but it leaves out the beginning <span class="hanzi">因为</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi</span>). This structure is more informal.</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Reason, <span class="hanzist">所以</span> + Result</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">汉字 太 难 了，所以 我 不 想 学 。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Hànzì tài nán le, suǒyǐ wǒ bù xiǎng xué.</span> <br/> Chinese characters are too hard, so I don't want to study them.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">她 很 漂亮，所以 很 多 男孩 喜欢 她。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā hěn piàoliang, suǒyǐ hěn duō nánhái xǐhuan tā.</span> <br/> She is beautiful, so a lot of boys like her.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 找到 工作 了， 所以 很 高兴。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> Tā zhǎodào gōngzuò le, suǒyǐ hěn gāoxìng.</span> <br/> He found a job so he's happy.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 太 忙 了，所以 没有 时间 给 你 打 电话。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ tài máng le, suǒyǐ méiyǒu shíjiān gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.</span> <br/> I was too busy, so I didn't have time to give you a call.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 公司 有 很 多 外国人，所以 我们 要 说 英文。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu hěn duō wàiguó rén, suǒyǐ wǒmen yào shuō Yīngwén.</span> <br/> There are a lot of foreigners in our company, so we need to speak English.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="using-因为-yīnwèi-and-所以-suǒyǐ-together">Using <span class="hanzist">因为</span> (<span class="pinyinst">yīnwèi</span>) and <span class="hanzist">所以</span> (<span class="pinyinst">suǒyǐ</span>) Together</h2>

  <p>The full pattern <span class="hanzi">因为……所以……</span> (<span class="pinyin">yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...</span>) is used to clearly indicate cause and effect. They could be thought of as equating to: "<b>Since ___ happened, so ___ happened.</b>" It sounds weird to use both "<b>since</b>" and "<b>so</b>" in one sentence in English, but it makes everything crystal clear in Chinese.</p>

  <h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">因为</span> + Cause, <span class="hanzist">所以</span> + Effect</p>
  </div>

  <p>This expresses that because of cause, therefore there is a result.</p>

  <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">因为 我 有 一个 中国 女朋友，所以 我 要 学 中文。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi wǒ yǒu yī gè Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou, suǒyǐ wǒ yào xué Zhōngwén.</span> <br/> Since I have a Chinese girlfriend, I need to study Chinese.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">因为 他 生病 了，所以 没 去 上课。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi tā shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ méi qù shàngkè.</span> <br/> Since he was sick, he didn't go to class.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">因为 我 很 累，所以 要 休息。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi wǒ hěn lèi, suǒyǐ yào xiūxi.</span> <br/> I'm very tired, so I want to rest.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">因为 太 远 了，所以 我 不 想 去。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi tài yuǎn le, suǒyǐ wǒ bù xiǎng qù.</span> <br/> Since it's too far, I don't want to go.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">因为 太 忙， 所以 我们 没有 时间 吃 中饭。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi tài máng, suǒyǐ wǒmen méiyǒu shíjiān chī zhōngfàn.</span> <br/> We were too busy, so none of us had time to eat lunch.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Stating_the_effect_before_the_cause" title="wikilink">Stating the effect before the cause</a> (advanced article)</li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 272-4)</li>

    <li>Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 79)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 108)</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: <a href="http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0201.html">How to use <span class="hanzi">因为</span> and <span class="hanzi">由于</span></a></li>
  </ul>
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