Because and so in Chinese – yīnwèi and suǒyǐ

Grammar Point:
The word “because” can be expressed as 因為为 yīnwèi in Chinese. While “so” is 所以 suǒyǐ. The structure of 因為为 yīnwèi……所以 suǒy…… is a common Chinese pattern used to express cause-and-effect relationships between two clauses.

Structure

因為为 + reason + 所以 + result

The pattern of 因為为 yīnwèi (because)⋯所以 suǒyǐ (so)⋯is common in both written and spoken Chinese. Although they are two conjunctions, unlike English, they almost always appear together in sentences. Generally, the Chinese prefer showing the cause before the effect.

因為yīnwèi今天jīntiān天氣tiānqì很hěn好hǎo， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ打算dǎsuàn去qù公園gōngyuán野餐yěcān因为yīnwèi今天jīntiān天气tiānqì很hěn好hǎo， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ打算dǎsuàn去qù公园gōngyuán野餐yěcān
I’m going to have a picnic in the park because it’s a nice day.

因為yīnwèi頭tóu很hěn痛tòng， 所以suǒyǐ昨天zuótiān我wǒ沒méi去qù上班shàngbān因为yīnwèi头tóu很hěn痛tòng， 所以suǒyǐ昨天zuótiān我wǒ没méi去qù上班shàngbān
I didn’t go to work yesterday because I had a headache.

因為yīnwèi大家dàjiā都dōu說shuō這個zhège很hěn好hǎo， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ就jiù買mǎi了le因为yīnwèi大家dàjiā都dōu说shuō这个zhège很hěn好hǎo， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ就jiù买mǎi了le
Everyone said this is very good, so I bought.

因為yīnwèi你nǐ昨天zuótiān沒來méilái， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ把bǎ票piào送人sòngrén了le因为yīnwèi你nǐ昨天zuótiān没来méilái， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ把bǎ票piào送人sòngrén了le
Because you did not come yesterday, so I gave away the tickets.

Can I use only 因為为 or 所以?

Yes, but it makes the language very casual. We tend to drop them when having conversations with friends only.

Result, + 因為为 + reason

好餓hǎoè， 因為yīnwèi我wǒ今天jīntiān還沒háiméi吃chī早餐zǎocān好饿hǎoè， 因为yīnwèi我wǒ今天jīntiān还没háiméi吃chī早餐zǎocān
I’m hungry because I haven’t had breakfast today.

我wǒ今天jīntiān不bù回家huíjiā吃chī晚飯wǎnfàn了le， 因為yīnwèi老闆lǎobǎn突然tūrán說shuō要yào開會kāihuì我wǒ今天jīntiān不bù回家huíjiā吃chī晚饭wǎnfàn了le， 因为yīnwèi老板lǎobǎn突然tūrán说shuō要yào开会kāihuì
I won’t go home for dinner today because my boss suddenly said we need to have a meeting.

他tā昨天zuótiān很hěn生氣shēngqì， 因為yīnwèi他的tāde錢包qiánbāo不見bùjiàn了le他tā昨天zuótiān很hěn生气shēngqì， 因为yīnwèi他的tāde钱包qiánbāo不见bùjiàn了le
He was very angry yesterday because he lost his wallet.

Reason, + 所以 + result

下雨xiàyǔ了le， 所以suǒyǐ今天jīntiān的de散步sànbù取消qǔxiāo嗎ma？ 下雨xiàyǔ了le， 所以suǒyǐ今天jīntiān的de散步sànbù取消qǔxiāo吗ma？
It’s raining, so today’s walk is cancelled?

我wǒ昨天zuótiān很hěn累lèi， 所以suǒyǐ很hěn早zǎo就jiù睡shuì了le我wǒ昨天zuótiān很hěn累lèi， 所以suǒyǐ很hěn早zǎo就jiù睡shuì了le
I was very tired yesterday, so I went to bed very early.

你nǐ不bú去qù， 所以suǒyǐ買mǎi5 張zhāng票piào就jiù好hǎo你nǐ不bú去qù， 所以suǒyǐ买mǎi5 张zhāng票piào就jiù好hǎo
You’re not going, so just buy 5 tickets.

颱風táifēng來lái了le！ 所以suǒyǐ明天míngtiān不用búyòng上班shàngbān！ 台风táifēng来lái了le！ 所以suǒyǐ明天míngtiān不用búyòng上班shàngbān！
Typhoon is coming! So no work tomorrow!

FYI
Hey there, did you know that Taiwan has a typhoon holiday? Yep, that’s right! When a typhoon is on its way and is likely to cause transportation issues and put people in danger, the government will issue a typhoon warning and declare a special holiday. This means schools and some businesses will close, and everyone is advised to stay safe indoors until the storm passes.
But let’s be real, Taiwanese people always find a way to make the most of their time, even during a typhoon! Instead of staying cooped up at home, many locals head to the cinema or department stores for some fun shopping time. It’s kind of like our little secret, don’t tell anyone! 😉

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ Because you are now trying to learn Chinese, your future will definitely be very rich.

因為yīnwèi你nǐ現在xiànzài努力nǔlì學xué中文zhōngwén， 所以suǒyǐ你的nǐde未來wèilái一定yídìng會huì很hěn有錢yǒuqián因为yīnwèi你nǐ现在xiànzài努力nǔlì学xué中文zhōngwén， 所以suǒyǐ你的nǐde未来wèilái一定yídìng会huì很hěn有钱yǒuqián

✔️ Because you didn’t give up, your Chinese will definitely become better

因為yīnwèi你nǐ沒méi放棄fàngqì， 所以suǒyǐ你的nǐde中文zhōngwén一定yídìng會huì變biàn好hǎo因为yīnwèi你nǐ没méi放弃fàngqì， 所以suǒyǐ你的nǐde中文zhōngwén一定yídìng会huì变biàn好hǎo (I hope so…🫠)

✔️ You trust me, so you look at my website, right?

你nǐ相信xiāngxìn我wǒ， 所以suǒyǐ你nǐ看kàn我的wǒde網站wǎngzhàn， 對duì嗎ma？ 你nǐ相信xiāngxìn我wǒ， 所以suǒyǐ你nǐ看kàn我的wǒde网站wǎngzhàn， 对duì吗ma？

• Due to 由於于 yóuyú (HSK 3)