c'est parce que
The English phrase "this is because" is translated into French as c'est parce que.
c'est parce que is used to introduce the reason for a statement or situation that has just been mentioned.
Which one should you use?
A distinction should be made between c'est parce que and c'est à cause de. Use c'est parce que when you are about to provide a full clause consisting of a subject and a verb, whereas use c'est à cause de when you are introducing a cause via a noun phrase (the equivalent of "it is because of").
How does it change in a sentence?
In a sentence, c'est parce que must be followed by a clause that contains both a subject and a verb.
Did you know?
- The word parce is actually a combination of the preposition par and the demonstrative pronoun ce, literally meaning 'by this'.
- In rapid spoken French, c'est parce que can contract even further than the written form, often sounding like cpask where the middle consonants almost disappear.
- When French speakers are arguing, they may replace c'est parce que with c'est juste que to soften a reason and make it sound like a personal justification rather than a hard fact.
Examples in context
- C'est que j'étais fatigué, j'ai préféré rester chez moi.It's just that I was tired, so I preferred to stay home.
- Je suis fatigué, c'est parce que j'ai trop travaillé.I am tired, this is because I worked too much.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are talking about why the shop is closed.
- ChloéLe magasin est fermé aujourd'hui.The shop is closed today.
- LucasPourquoi ? Est-ce qu'il y a un problème ?Why? Is there a problem?
- ChloéC'est parce que c'est un jour férié.This is because it is a public holiday.
- LucasAh, je comprends mieux maintenant.Ah, I understand better now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries c'est, parce, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
