4 Ways to Say “Because” in Japanese (から, ので, なので, and なぜなら) :When expressing a reason or cause, we use such words as “because” and “so” in English. Today, we’re going to learn the four most common ways of expressing “because” in Japanese by using から (kara), ので (node), なので (nanode), and なぜなら (nazenara).
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4 Ways to Say “Because” in Japanese (から, ので, なので, and なぜなら)
Kara is used to express subjective reasoning, such as personal beliefs. It can also be used for making excuses, commands, and invitations. It may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
Node and nanode are used to express objective reasons or causes, such as stating facts or commonsensical things. Therefore, we cannot use them when projecting our personal opinions like we can with kara. Node and nanode are most commonly found in the middle and at the end of sentences.
Nazenara is the most formal of the four. It is used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a reason that something has happened.
Let’s explore these words in more detail below.
から (Kara):
While kara is usually translated as “because,” I have always found it easier to imagine it as meaning “so.” This is because, when using kara, the sentence order in Japanese is the same as the sentence order when using “so” in English. The sentence order is flipped when using “because,” which makes it confusing for beginners. Let’s look at some examples to show you what I mean.
-I want to go to Disneyland because Ken is going.
-Ken is going to Disneyland, so I want to go, too.
Both of the above sentences have the same meaning. However, when translated into Japanese, the sentence looks like this:
Ken wa Disneyland ni iku kara, watashi mo ikitai.
The first half of the sentence expresses that Ken is going to Disneyland. The second half expresses that “I” also want to go. Therefore, the Japanese sentence pattern is more in line with a “so” sentence than a “because” sentence.
Let’s look at a few more examples.
Aisu kuriimu o tabetai kara, saati wan de tabemashou!
(I want to eat ice cream, so let’s eat at Baskin Robbins!) or
(Let’s eat at Baskin Robbins because I want to eat ice cream!)
With the above example, kara follows an i–adjective, so it remains unchanged. That is because If kara follows a verb or i-adjective, the rule of thumb is that it doesn’t change. However, if kara follows a noun or na–adjective, we attach da to the beginning, making dakara. Here is an example.
Hana wa kirei dakara, obaa-san ni katte agemasu.
(Flowers are beautiful, so I will buy some for my grandma.) or
(I will buy some flowers for my grandma because they are beautiful.)
Suki na doubutsu wa neko dakara, takusan hoshii.
(My favorite animal is a cat, so I want lots of them.) or
(I want lots of cats because they are my favorite animal.)
In the flower example, kirei is a na–adjective, so we use dakara. In the cat example, neko is a noun, so we use dakara in this case as well.
You may find that people in casual conversation tack dakara to the beginning of a sentence as well.
HUSBAND: Kyou byouin ni itte kita.
(I went to the hospital today.)
WIFE: Dakara, nani?
(So...what?)
HUSBAND: Kaze o hiita.
(I have a cold.)
WIFE: Sore dake?
(That’s it?)
It’s also common to tack kara / dakara to the end of a sentence to indicate that the speaker is giving an explanation as to why something happened.
MOTHER: Kyou gakkou ni chikoku shita deshou?
(You were late for school today, weren’t you?)
DAUGHTER: Ryukku sakku o wasureta kara.
(Because I forgot my backpack.)
ので／なので (Node / Nanode):
Node and nanode are used the same way as kara and dakara above and abide by the same grammatical rules. The only difference is in the nuance. Node and nanode are used when expressing facts and objective reasons. Many times kara and node can be interchangeable.
When node follows a verb or i-adjective, it does not change. However, similar to kara, if node follows a noun or na-adjective, we add na to the beginning, making it nanode.
Let’s look at a few examples.
Taifuu ga kita node gakkou wa kyuukou shimashita.
(The typhoon came, so classes were canceled.) or
(Classes were canceled because the typhoon came.)
Kare wa kaishain nanode zangyou ga ooi.
(He is a company employee, so he has lots of overtime.) or
(He has lots of overtime because he is a company employee.)
In the typhoon example, node follows a verb, so it does not change. In the company employee example, kaishain is a noun; therefore, it becomes nanode.
なぜなら (Nazenara):
Nazenara is the most formal of the four ways to use “because.” It most commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence and functions more as a “because” than a “so.” In most cases, kara or node are attached to the end of the sentence as well.
A: Doushite nihon-go ga sonna ni umai n desu ka?
(Why are you so good at Japanese?)
B: Nazenara, mai-nichi benkyou shite imasu kara!
(Because I study it every day!)
A: Naze o-sake wa nomanai n desu ka?
(Why don’t you drink alcohol?)
B: Nazenara, o-sake no arerugii ga arimasu node.
(Because I have an allergy to alcohol.)
Knowing when to use kara and node can be challenging at first, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t even have to think about it anymore! But the only way to get the hang of it is to get out there and use it! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Always remember, the most important thing to language acquisition is to practice. So get out there and practice, practice, practice!
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