Daily Mandarin Lesson: "Because" in Chinese

Learning how to say "because" in Chinese will expand your vocabulary by enabling you to answer questions. The Chinese phrase for "because" is 因為, in traditional form, or 因爲 in simplified form. Its Mandarin Chinese pinyin is "yīnwèi." 因為 / 因爲 can also mean owing to, or on account of.

CHINESE CHARACTERS
The first character 因 (yīn) means "cause," or "reason." The second character 為 (wèi) is defined as: to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become.

Together, 因為 / 因爲 means "because."

PRONUNCIATION
因為 / 因爲 is pronounced as ►yīn wei. 因 is in the 1st tone, and 為 / 爲 is in the 4th tone. In terms of tone numbers, 因為 / 因爲 can also be written out as: yin1 wei4.

GRAMMAR
"Because" typically comes at the beginning of Chinese sentences. 因為 / 因爲 ... 所以 (yīn wei...suǒyǐ) is a common sentence structure that means "because...and so."

SENTENCE EXAMPLES USING YĪN WEI
Audio files are marked with ►

►Yīn wei tái fēng de guān xì, suǒ yǒu de bān jī dōu qǔ xiāo.
因為颱風的關係,所有的班機都取消｡
因爲颱風的關係,所有的班機都取消｡
Because of concerns about typhoons, all flights have been canceled.

►Yīn wei tiān qì tài rè, suǒ yǐ tā hūn dǎo le.
因為天氣太熱,所以她昏倒了｡
因爲天氣太熱,所以她昏倒了｡
She fainted because of the hot weather.

Yīnwèi wǒ méiyǒu shàngkè, suǒyǐ wǒ méiyǒu tōngguò kǎoshì
因為我沒有上課,所以我沒有通過考試
因爲我沒有上課,所以我沒有通過考試
I didn't pass the test because I didn't study.