en raison de
/ɑ̃ ʁɛ.zɔ̃ də/
The English phrase 'due to' can be translated into French as en raison de or à cause de.
Meaning: caused by (prep)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| en raison de | /ɑ̃ ʁɛ.zɔ̃ də/ /ɑ̃ ʁe.zɔ̃ də/ |
| à cause de | /a koz də/ |
Both phrases are used to express that something is caused by something else.
Which one should you use?
à cause de is typically used for negative or neutral reasons. In contrast, en raison de is more neutral or positive. For specifically positive or beneficial causes, the phrase grâce à (thanks to) is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both en raison de and à cause de are prepositions and must be followed by a noun or a pronoun, not a full clause with a conjugated verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃ ʁɛ.zɔ̃ də/
Did you know?
- Using à cause de to describe a positive event can sound sarcastic to a native French speaker, as the phrase carries an inherently negative or blaming weight.
- The word à in à cause de is a linguistic merger of two different Latin prepositions, ad and ab.
- In formal French administration or news reports, en raison de is preferred over à cause de to maintain a sense of objective distance and neutrality.
Examples in context
- Il n'était pas là à cause de l'orage.His absence was due to the storm.This sentence shows how to use à cause de to explain an absence caused by a storm.Tatoeba #133502 by Aiji, translation #304603 by CK
- Le match fut annulé à cause de la pluie.The match was cancelled due to rain.This sentence uses à cause de to explain why a match was cancelled due to rain.Tatoeba #337340 by sysko, translation #415445 by FeuDRenais
- L'école a été fermé à cause de la neige.The school's closure was due to the snow.This sentence demonstrates using à cause de to explain a school closure caused by snow.Tatoeba #8580377 by valhentai, translation #21565 by bekindtoall
- La conférence a été annulée en raison de la grève des transporteurs.The conference was canceled due to the strike by the carriers.
- Le vol a été retardé à cause de conditions météorologiques défavorables.The flight was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions.
- J'ai réussi mon examen grâce aux efforts que j'ai fournis.I passed my exam due to the efforts I put in.
- 58 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are discussing a flight delay at the airport.
- HugoLe vol est retardé en raison de la météo.The flight is delayed due to the weather.
- EmmaC'est vraiment embêtant, Hugo.That is really annoying, Hugo.
- HugoOui, c'est en raison d'une tempête.Yes, it is due to a storm.
- EmmaEspérons que nous partirons bientôt.Let's hope we leave soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “due to” translations and entries en raison de, à cause de, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cause, de, en, en raison de, à, à cause de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
