Episode 93 - How to say "because" ("node" for expression of causes and reasons)

Learn Japanese with Masa sensei!

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As the use of ので (node) softens the view of the speaker and sounds more polite, it's often used when you are gently expressing a reason, when asking for permission or when making an excuse.

たべるので Taberu Node Because I will eat

たべないので Tabenai Node Because I don't eat

たべたので Tabeta Node Because I ate

たべたいので Tabetai Node Because I want to eat

In english we would fist state the conclusion and then the reason in this type of sentence. In Japanese when using ので this is swapped around so the reason is at the beginning of the sentence and the conclusion is at the end.

卒業したいので勉強しています

Sotsyugyou shitai node benkyou shite imasu

Because I want to graduate, Im studying

あめがふっていたので、いえにいました。

ame ga futteita node, ie ni imasu.

Because it was raisning, I stayed at home.

ちょっとあついので、まどをあけてもいいですか。

chotto atsui node, mado o aketemo ii desu ka.

It's a bit hot, so is it ok to open the window?

あたまがいたいので、くすりをください。

atama ga itai no de, kusuri o kudasai.

I have a headache, so please give me some medicine.

から and ので both of these words are roughly equivalent to the English “because” when used in the following patterns:

[dictionary form verb/i-adjective] + から (ex: 食べるから、寒いから)

[noun/na-adjective] + だから (ex: 男だから、りっぱだから）

[dictionary form verb/i-adjective] + ので (ex:食べるので、寒いので）

[noun/na-adjective] + なので (ex: 男なので、りっぱなので）

The way you use them grammatically is nearly identical, except for [noun/na-adjective] cases where you use “だ” with から and “な” with ので. You can think of “な” as meaning “だ” here.

Let’s look at two more example sentences using these terms.

僕は男だからそんなことしないよ。

僕は男なのでそんなことしないよ。

Because I’m a guy, I’d never do that type of thing.

ここはレストランだからたばこを吸わないでください。

ここはレストランなのでたばこを吸わないでください。

koko wa resutoran na node tabako wo suwanaide kudasai

Please don't smoke here since this is a restaurant.

あの人はとてもきれいだからモデルになれるでしょう。

あの人はとてもきれいなのでモデルになれるでしょう。

ano hito wa totemo kirei da kara moderu ni nareru deshou

Even though all the above examples can be translated as “because” or “so” in English, there is a major difference in the nuance between “kara” and “node”. If you are speaking in a informal situation, “kara” would be more appropriate, whereas in an formal situation “node” would probably be better. Examples of when to use “node” are in a presentation at work or in a formal document. It has a cold, functional feeling to it.

1. Remember that ので is used to explain a reason that is out of your control and is more polite than から

2. Depending on what comes before ので the grammar will be slightly different.

3. The reason comes first in Japanese and then the conclusion.

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