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Cause and effect: “因为……,所以……”

The pattern “因为……,所以……” (yīnwèi..., suǒyǐ...) expresses a cause-and-effect relationship.

(yīn)(wèi)states the cause
(suǒ)()states the result

因为 and 所以 may be used together, or just one of them.

Basic structure

因为 + cause,所以 + result

Meaning: because …, therefore …

Examples

(Jiù)(shì)(yīn)(wèi)(méi)穿(chuān)(guo)(suǒ)()(yào)(shì)(shi)(a)
Precisely because you've never worn it, that's why you should try it on!
因为 + 没穿过 所以 + 要试试
(jiù)(shì)(yīn)(wèi)precisely because
(méi)穿(chuān)(guo)have never worn
(suǒ)()so
(yào)(shì)(shi)should try it on

Here 因为 introduces the cause and 所以 the result.

(Yīn)(wèi)()(shēng)(bìng)(le)(jīn)(tiān)(méi)()(shàng)(bān)
Because I fell ill, I didn't go to work today.
因为 + 我生病了 今天没去上班
(yīn)(wèi)because
()(shēng)(bìng)(le)I fell ill
(jīn)(tiān)today
(méi)()(shàng)(bān)didn't go to work
Only 因为 is used here; 所以 is dropped.
()(méi)()(guo)()(jiā)(suǒ)()(ràng)()(lái)(chē)(zhàn)(jiē)()
I've never been to his place, so I asked him to meet me at the station.
我没去过他家 所以 + 让他来车站接我
()(méi)()(guo)()(jiā)I've never been to his place
(suǒ)()so
(ràng)()ask him to
(lái)(chē)(zhàn)(jiē)()come to the station to meet me
Only 所以 is used here; 因为 is dropped.

Quick rule

Both together:

因为 + cause,所以 + result Because …, therefore …

因为 alone:

因为 + cause,+ result Because …, …

所以 alone:

Cause,所以 + result …, so …
因为我生病了,今天没去上班。— Because I fell ill, I didn't go to work today. 我没去过他家,所以让他来车站接我。— I've never been to his place, so I asked him to meet me at the station.