因为……,所以/就……
Reach for this when you want to explicitly link a reason to its result. The 因为 half names the cause; the 所以 or 就 half delivers the consequence. In writing and formal speech, 所以 is the default. In casual conversation, speakers often swap in 就 to keep the sentence light — same meaning, more spoken feel. Either way, Chinese is comfortable keeping both halves where English would pick one.
Structure
因为 [REASON],所以/就 [RESULT]
yīnwèi... suǒyǐ/jiù...
How to Think About It
Chinese keeps BOTH halves. English picks 'because' OR 'so' and drops the other; Chinese says both. The 就 variant is interesting because 就 isn't really a connector — it's a 'right then' adverb sitting inside the result clause, doing the job 所以 normally does but more casually. Use 就 in speech with friends; switch to 所以 anywhere formal.
Examples
因为今天太忙了,所以我没回你的电话。
Yīnwèi jīntiān tài máng le, suǒyǐ wǒ méi huí nǐ de diànhuà.
Because today was too busy, I didn't return your call.
因为他生病了,就没来上班。
Yīnwèi tā shēngbìng le, jiù méi lái shàngbān.
Because he was sick, he didn't come to work.
因为周末不上课,所以我可以睡懒觉。
Yīnwèi zhōumò bú shàngkè, suǒyǐ wǒ kěyǐ shuì lǎnjiào.
Because there's no class on the weekend, I can sleep in.
Common Mistake
Learners trained in English drop 所以 because 'because A, B' feels complete in English. In Chinese the result clause feels naked without 所以 or 就 — it dangles.
因为下雨了,我没去公园。
因为下雨了,所以我没去公园。
Don't Confuse With
由于……,因此……
Same meaning, much more formal. Use in essays, news, and reports — not in casual conversation.
之所以……,是因为……
Inverted version that fronts the result for emphasis. Use it when you want the consequence to land first, then explain why.
……,所以……
Dropping 因为 and keeping only 所以 works in speech once context is clear, but it's weaker. Keep both halves until you trust the flow.
Practice
Fill in the blank: ___下雨了,所以比赛取消了。
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因为
Fill in the blank: 因为太累了,___我早早睡了。
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所以
Arrange: 我 / 所以 / 喜欢 / 中国菜 / 喜欢 / 因为 / 中国 / 我
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因为我喜欢中国菜,所以我喜欢中国。
Translate to Chinese: Because I have no money, I'm not going shopping today.
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因为我没钱,所以今天不去买东西。
Use 因为...所以... to explain why you started learning Chinese.
Show answer
因为我对中国文化很感兴趣,所以我开始学中文。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: