ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/89.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

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).

<div class="jiegou">

Result, 因为 + Reason

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 他 学 得 很 快， <em>因为</em> 他 很 聪明。<span class="pinyin">Tā xué de hěn kuài, <em>yīnwèi</em> tā hěn cōngming.</span><span class="trans">He learns fast because he is smart.</span>
* 我 爱 吃 四川 菜， <em>因为</em> 很 辣。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ ài chī Sìchuān cài, <em>yīnwèi</em> hěn là.</span><span class="trans"> I love eating Sichuan food because it's very spicy.</span>
* 我 在 学习 中文 ， <em>因为</em> 我 想 去 中国。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài xuéxí Zhōngwén, <em>yīnwèi</em> wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó.</span><span class="trans">I am studying Chinese because I want to go to China.</span>
* 我 不 喜欢 她，<em>因为</em> 她 不 友好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuan tā, <em>yīnwèi</em> tā bù yǒuhǎo.</span><span class="trans">I don't like her because she is very unfriendly.</span>
* 今天 我们 很 忙，<em>因为</em> 有 很 多 工作。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen hěn máng, <em>yīnwèi</em> yǒu hěn duō gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans"> We are very busy today because we have lots of work.</span>

</div>

== 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.

<div class="jiegou">

Reason, 所以 + Result

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 汉字 太 难 了，<em>所以</em> 我 不 想 学 。<span class="pinyin">Hànzì tài nán le, <em>suǒyǐ</em> wǒ bù xiǎng xué.</span><span class="trans">Chinese characters are too hard, so I don't want to study them.</span>
* 她 很 漂亮，<em>所以</em> 很 多 男孩 喜欢 她。<span class="pinyin">Tā hěn piàoliang, <em>suǒyǐ</em> hěn duō nánhái xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">She is beautiful, so a lot of boys like her.</span>
* 他 找到 工作 了， <em>所以</em> 很 高兴。<span class="pinyin">Tā zhǎodào gōngzuò le, <em>suǒyǐ</em> hěn gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">He found a job so he's happy.</span>
* 我 太 忙 了，<em>所以</em> 没有 时间 给 你 打 电话。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tài máng le, <em>suǒyǐ</em> méiyǒu shíjiān gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">I was too busy, so I didn't have time to give you a call.</span>
* 我们 公司 有 很 多 外国人，<em>所以</em> 我们 要 说 英文。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu hěn duō wàiguó rén, <em>suǒyǐ</em> wǒmen yào shuō Yīngwén.</span><span class="trans">There are a lot of foreigners in our company, so we need to speak English.</span>

</div>

== 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 ===

<div class="jiegou">

因为 + Cause, 所以 + Effect

</div>

This expresses that because of ''cause'', therefore there is a ''result''. 

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* <em>因为</em> 我 有 一个 中国 女朋友，<em>所以</em> 我 要 学 中文。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yīnwèi</em> wǒ yǒu yī gè Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou, <em>suǒyǐ</em> wǒ yào xué Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">Since I have a Chinese girlfriend, I need to study Chinese.</span>
* <em>因为</em> 他 生病 了，<em>所以</em> 没 去 上课。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Yīnwèi</em> tā shēngbìng le, <em>suǒyǐ</em> méi qù shàngkè.</span><span class="trans">Since he was sick, he didn't go to class.</span>
* <em>因为</em> 我 很 累，<em>所以</em> 要 休息。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yīnwèi</em> wǒ hěn lèi, <em>suǒyǐ</em> yào xiūxi.</span><span class="trans">I'm very tired, so I want to rest.</span>
* <em>因为</em> 太 远 了，<em>所以</em> 我 不 想 去。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yīnwèi</em> tài yuǎn le, <em>suǒyǐ</em> wǒ bù xiǎng qù.</span><span class="trans">Since it's too far, I don't want to go.</span>
* <em>因为</em> 太 忙， <em>所以</em> 我们 没有 时间 吃 中饭。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yīnwèi</em> tài máng, <em>suǒyǐ</em> wǒmen méiyǒu shíjiān chī zhōngfàn.</span><span class="trans">We were too busy, so none of us had time to eat lunch.</span>

</div>

==See also==

*[[Stating the effect before the cause]] (advanced article)

== Sources and  further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 272-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy] 
* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 79) [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 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 108) [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 →buy]

===Websites===

* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0201.html How to use 因为 and 由于]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Similar|Stating the Effect before the Cause}}
{{Similar|"Then…" with "name"}}     
{{Similar|Because" with "er" Indicating Effect}}  
{{Similar|"Since" with "jiran"}}  
{{Similar|"Therefore" with "yinci"}}
{{Basic Grammar|因为|A2|因为⋯⋯ 所以⋯⋯|<em>因为</em> 饿 了，<em>所以</em> 吃饭。|grammar point|ASGTDUJO}}
{{Rel char|所以}}
{{Rel char|以}}
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
{{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}}
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Translation|because}}
{{Translation|so}}
{{Translation|therefore}}