2 · Linking clauses, first steps
Because, firmly: -기 때문에 and 때문에
the reason stated as a fact
-기 때문에 gives a clear, often written reason; after a noun, 때문에 means "because of".
After a verb or adjective, -기 때문에 goes straight onto the stem: 가기 때문에, 많기 때문에, 학생이기 때문에. Unlike -아서/어서, the past is possible: 늦었기 때문에. After a noun, 때문에 follows with a space and means “because of”: 비 때문에, 일 때문에.
It states a reason firmly, as a fact. It sounds explanatory and objective, and it is at home in writing, in the news, in presentations, and whenever you want to stress the reason. In relaxed conversation -아서/어서 is more usual.
Like -아서/어서, it is not followed by a request or a suggestion; for that the reason takes -(으)니까. At the end of a sentence, -기 때문이에요 gives the reason for something already said: 길이 막혔기 때문이에요, “it is because the roads were congested”.
The trap is the noun. 학생 때문에 means “because of the student” — someone else is to blame. To say “because I am a student”, the noun needs 이다: 학생이기 때문에. And since 때문에 after a person often sounds like an accusation, good news takes 덕분에, “thanks to”.
The form
| after a vowel | 바쁘다 → 바쁘기 때문에 |
| after a consonant | 많다 → 많기 때문에 |
| past | 늦었기 때문에 |
| with a noun and 이다 | 학생이기 때문에 |
| after a noun: because of | 비 때문에 |
| at the end of a sentence | 막혔기 때문이에요 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
-기 때문에 goes straight onto the stem.
오늘은 일이 많기 때문에 늦게 퇴근할 거예요.I have a lot of work today, so I will finish late.
Unlike -아서/어서, it can take the past.
어제 늦게 잤기 때문에 오늘 피곤해요.I went to bed late yesterday, so I am tired today.
After a noun, 때문에 means “because of” and stands with a space.
눈 때문에 비행기가 늦게 출발했어요.The plane left late because of the snow.
-기 때문이에요 at the end of a sentence gives the reason for what was said before.
제가 늦은 이유는 길이 막혔기 때문이에요.The reason I was late is that the roads were congested.
A closer look
Which "because" to choose
-아서/어서 is the everyday reason: neutral, never in the past, never before a request. -(으)니까 argues: it may be in the past and it is the one to use before a request or a suggestion. -기 때문에 explains firmly: it may be in the past, it does not go before a request, and it is the most common choice in writing.
In speeches, essays and careful explanations the reason is often announced with 왜냐하면 at the start, and the sentence then has to end in -기 때문이에요 or -기 때문이다: 왜냐하면 시간이 없었기 때문이에요.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the reason is good news, especially a person who helped
use 덕분에, “thanks to”, rather than 때문에.
선생님 덕분에 시험에 합격했어요.Thanks to my teacher, I passed the exam.
때문에 after a person or a thing tends to sound like blame; 덕분에 carries the gratitude.
How to spot it
- -기 때문에
- 때문에
- -기 때문이에요
- 왜냐하면
Example sentences
이 길은 밤에 어둡기 때문에 조심해야 해요.This road is dark at night, so you have to be careful.
저는 학생이기 때문에 돈이 별로 없어요.I am a student, so I do not have much money.
감기 때문에 회사에 못 갔어요.I could not go to work because of a cold.
왜 한국어를 배워요? 한국 드라마를 좋아하기 때문이에요.Why are you learning Korean? Because I like Korean dramas.
교통사고 때문에 길이 많이 막혀요.The traffic is very heavy because of an accident.
그 가게는 값이 싸기 때문에 항상 손님이 많아요.That shop is cheap, so it always has a lot of customers.
8 more example sentences
내일 시험이 있기 때문에 오늘은 일찍 잘 거예요.I have an exam tomorrow, so I will go to bed early today.
비 때문에 경기가 취소됐어요.The match was cancelled because of the rain.
그 배우는 연기를 잘하기 때문에 인기가 많아요.That actor is popular because they act well.
일 때문에 이번 주말에도 바빠요.I am busy this weekend too because of work.
지하철이 빠르기 때문에 저는 지하철을 자주 타요.The underground is fast, so I often take it.
어제 많이 걸었기 때문에 다리가 아파요.My legs hurt because I walked a lot yesterday.
소음 때문에 잠을 잘 못 잤어요.I could not sleep well because of the noise.
이번 회의는 중요하기 때문에 꼭 참석해야 합니다.This meeting is important, so you must attend.
Worth knowing (1)
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Because of you
너 때문에 is a reproach in almost every situation, and even 친구 때문에 tends to sound as if the friend caused trouble. That is not a rule of grammar, but it decides how a sentence is heard.
동생 때문에 숙제를 못 했어요.I could not do my homework because of my younger sibling.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
학생 때문에 means “because of a student”, as if someone else were the cause. To give your own status as the reason, the noun needs 이다: 학생이기 때문에, or in conversation 학생이라서.
Gi ttaemune explains firmly and may take the past; after a bare noun, ttaemune means "because of".
Your turn
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