Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| çünkü | /tʃyɲ.cy/ |
| zira | /ziɾa/ (from spelling rules) |
çünkü is used to introduce a clause that explains the reason for a preceding statement. When you need a vague or dismissive way to say 'just because' in response to a 'why' question, speakers use işte or öyle işte.
Which one should you use?
çünkü is the standard conjunction used to introduce an explanatory clause. In contrast, zira is a more literary synonym. For a different grammatical structure, the suffix -dığı için can be used to mean 'because' or 'due to the fact that'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
çünkü is the most common and standard way to say 'because' and is suitable for any formal setting. zira is a formal and literary version often found in written texts or formal speeches, making it less common in everyday speech. For colloquial, dismissive responses to 'why', use işte or öyle işte.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While çünkü starts a new clause, the suffix -dığı için is used to create a subordinate clause that functions as a reason within a single sentence structure.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /tʃyɲ.cy/. The /tʃ/ sound is like the [ch] in 'change', the /ɲ/ sound is like the [ny] in 'canyon' and the /c/ sound is like the [k] in 'skew'.
Did you know?
- The Persian roots of çünkü and zira are so deeply embedded in the language that they survived the linguistic reforms of the 20th century. Even though many Persian words were purged, these 'because' markers remained staples of the Turkish lexicon.
- The common word çünkü is actually a compound formed from two Persian words: çün meaning 'as' and ke meaning 'that'.
- Turkish allows you to bake the 'because' directly into a word using the suffix -dığı için. This turns the entire reason into a single grammatical unit attached to the verb, rather than a separate word like in English.
Examples in context
- Çünkü o fazla büyük.Because it's too big.This is useful for explaining a size-related reason using çünkü.Tatoeba #5318383 by deyta, translation #434314 by lukaszpp
- Çünkü sen bir kızsın.It's because you're a girl.This is useful for explaining a reason involving identity using çünkü.Tatoeba #5261009 by deyta, translation #3250968 by Hybrid
- Çünkü biz ona değeriz.Because we're worth it.This is useful for explaining worthiness using çünkü.Tatoeba #4199461 by deyta, translation #744915 by U2FS
- Bu filmi izlemek istiyorum, çünkü oyuncuları oldukça beğeniyorum.I want to watch this movie because I really like the actors.
- Bu kararı aldık, zira daha fazla bekleyemeyiz.We made this decision because we can't wait any longer.
- Bu kitabı okumak istiyorum, çünkü yazarı çok popüler.I want to read this book because the author is very popular.
- Siz daha erken gitmek istediniz, zira arabamızı park edecek yer bulmak zordu.You wanted to leave earlier because finding a parking spot was difficult.
- 469 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Selin are discussing why they cannot go for a walk.
- CanDışarı çıkamayız, çünkü çok soğuk.We cannot go outside, because it is very cold.
- SelinGerçekten de öyle, çünkü hava çok rüzgarlı.It really is, because the weather is very windy.
- CanEve gidip film izleyelim mi?Shall we go home and watch a movie?
- SelinHarika bir fikir, hadi gidelim.That is a great idea, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations and entries çünkü, zira, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zira, çünkü, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
