# Cause and effect with "因为" and "所以"

<SentenceQuiz>

- 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.
- 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.
- _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.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level: [A2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/A2_grammar_points) / [HSK2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK2_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "as a result" with "结果"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22as_a_result%22_with_%22jieguo%22) (B1)
  - [Expressing "then…" with "那么"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22then%E2%80%A6%22_with_%22name%22) (B1)
  - [Expressing "since" with "既然"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22since%22_with_%22jiran%22) (B2)
  - [Expressing "therefore" with "因此"](../B2/因此.md) (B2)
  - [Stating the effect before the cause](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Stating_the_effect_before_the_cause) (B2)
  - [Express an action and its effect by using "通过... 是"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Express_an_action_and_its_effect_by_using_%22tongguo%E2%80%A6_shi%22) (C1)
  - [Using "because" with "而" to indicate effect](../C1/而.md) (C1)
- Used for: [Expressing result](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_result), [Sequencing events in time](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Sequencing_events_in_time), [Indicating cause and effect](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Indicating_cause_and_effect)
- Keywords: [以](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BB%A5), [因为](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%9B%A0%E4%B8%BA), [所以](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%89%80%E4%BB%A5)

</TOC>

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](../B2/之所以.md) (advanced article)

## Sources and further reading

### Books

- [HSK Standard Course 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_Standard_Course_2) (pp. 44) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide) (pp. 272-4) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar) (pp. 79) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)](<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)>) (pp. 108) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [现代汉语虚词例释](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%99%9A%E8%AF%8D%E4%BE%8B%E9%87%8A) (pp. 482) [卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy](http://amzn.to/2z4g8q6,)

### Websites

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