Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| なぜなら | nazenara | [na̠ze̞ na̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| だって | datte | [da̠t̚te̞] (narrow) |
| から | kara | [ka̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| ので | node | |
| ために | [ta̠me̞ɲ̟i] (narrow) |
Japanese provides different ways to express a reason or cause. なぜなら is used to introduce a reason that follows a statement, while だって is a colloquial way to provide a reason, often appearing at the beginning of a sentence. から and ので are used to attach a reason to a clause, and ために can express a cause meaning 'because of', though it is more frequently used to mean 'for the purpose of' or 'in order to'. Additionally, どうしても can be used in place of an answer to the question 'why'.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on the nature of the reason and the context. から is used for subjective, personal reasons or opinions, whereas ので is used for objective, factual or polite reasons, such as making excuses or explaining a situation. だって is a colloquial conjunction used at the beginning of a sentence, often used by children or in casual speech to provide a somewhat defensive or childish reason.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
なぜなら is a formal conjunction typically used in writing or speeches. ので is used to express a reason that is more objective, factual or polite. から is informal/neutral. だって is a casual way to say because in Japanese. ために can mean 'because of' when expressing a cause.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, where 'because' is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause, から and ので are attached to the end of the clause containing the reason. Additionally, なんで is a casual term that translates to why but can also imply because in informal situations.
How do you pronounce it?
nazenara
Did you know?
- While から is often translated as 'because', it literally means 'from', suggesting that the result flows out of the cause.
- In spoken Japanese, speakers often omit the result clause and end the sentence with から, leaving the 'because' hanging as a way to avoid being too blunt.
- The casual term だって is actually a contraction of the older form だとて, which combines the auxiliary verb だ with the particle とて.
Examples in context
- 暇だから寝よ。I'm going to sleep because I have the time to.This sentence uses から to explain a reason for sleeping.Tatoeba #11256137 by sh5555, translation #12603477 by urro
- 私が担任だからね。Because I am a homeroom teacher.This sentence uses から to provide a reason for being a homeroom teacher.Tatoeba #11001435 by small_snow, translation #13045784 by terrywallwork
- だって好きなんだもの。It's because I love you.This sentence uses だって to provide a casual, defensive reason.Tatoeba #203576 by small_snow, translation #2021208 by Spamster
- 私は試験のため勉強しなければならない。なぜなら合格したいからだ。I have to study for the exam because I want to pass.
- 彼は疲れているから、早く帰ります。He is tired, so he will go home early.
- 今日は忙しい。だって試験があるんだ。I'm busy today because I have an exam.
- 496 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hina and Kenta are talking about why Hina is tired.
- 陽葵 Himari今日はとても眠いです。Kyō wa totemo nemui desu.I am very sleepy today.
- 健太 Kentaどうしてそんなに眠いの？Dōshite sonnani nemui no?Why are you so sleepy?
- 陽葵 Himariなぜなら、昨夜はあまり寝ていないからです。Nazenara, sakuya wa amari neteinai kara desu.Because I didn't sleep much last night.
- 健太 Kenta無理しないでね。Muri shinaide ne.Don't push yourself too hard.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations and entries なぜなら, だって, から, ので, ために, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries から, だって, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
