A2 · Joining sentences · about 7 minutes
Reasons and results: bo, ponieważ, więc, dlatego
because, so, therefore
bo and ponieważ give the reason, więc and dlatego the result.
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“New to me”: the explanation first, then practice. “Test myself”: 3 short questions – get at least two right and you go straight to the harder exercises.
Words you will need6
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- przeziębionyhaving a cold
- spóźnić sięto be late
- jeździćto go, to travel (regularly, by vehicle)
- śmiać sięto laugh
- kurtkajacket
- odpowiadaćto answer, to reply
Understand
RememberReason with bo or ponieważ, result with więc or dlatego — and a comma in front.
- Signal words
- bo
- ponieważ
- więc
- dlatego
- dlaczego
The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Polish.
negation question marker
| bo — because | Nie przyjdę, bo jestem chory. |
| ponieważ — because, also at the front | Ponieważ pada, zostajemy w domu. |
| więc — so | Jestem głodna, więc idę do restauracji. |
| dlatego — that’s why | Pada, dlatego zostajemy w domu. |
| question and answer | Dlaczego nie śpisz? Bo mam dużo pracy. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
bo gives the reason; in conversation it is the commonest word for it.
Zostaję w domu, bo jestem przeziębiona.I am staying at home because I have a cold. (a woman speaking)
ponieważ may also open the sentence.
Ponieważ autobus się spóźnił, przyszedłem za późno.Because the bus was late, I was late. (a man speaking)
więc gives the result.
Nie mam samochodu, więc jeżdżę autobusem.I don’t have a car, so I go by bus.
dlatego means “that’s why”.
Marek dużo pracuje, dlatego jest zmęczony.Marek works a lot, that’s why he is tired.
In the clause the verb stays in its usual place.
Nie dzwonię, bo nie mam telefonu.I am not ringing because I have no phone.
Example sentences
Dlaczego się śmiejesz? – Bo to jest śmieszne.Why are you laughing? — Because it’s funny.
Idę spać, bo jutro wcześnie wstaję.I am going to bed because I am getting up early tomorrow.
Kasia nie przyszła, ponieważ była chora.Kasia didn’t come because she was ill.
7 more example sentences
Jest ładna pogoda, więc idziemy na spacer.The weather is nice, so we are going for a walk.
Nie znam drogi, dlatego pytam.I don’t know the way, that’s why I’m asking.
Uczę się polskiego, bo moja żona jest z Polski.I am learning Polish because my wife is from Poland.
Biorę parasol, bo ma padać.I am taking an umbrella because it’s supposed to rain.
Sklep był zamknięty, więc wróciłam do domu.The shop was closed, so I went back home. (a woman speaking)
Ponieważ jest późno, wezmę taksówkę.Because it’s late, I’ll take a taxi.
Ania mówi po niemiecku, dlatego pracuje w Berlinie.Ania speaks German, that’s why she works in Berlin.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
In English a sentence may start with “because”: “Because I’m ill, I won’t come.” bo cannot do that — at the start you use ponieważ. Or turn the sentence round: Nie przyjdę, bo jestem chory.
Quick check
A warm-up: 2 questions, answered straight away. They do not count towards your progress.
Practise
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The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
There are two words for a reason. bo is the everyday word, English “because” or “’cause”: Nie przyjdę, bo jestem chory. ponieważ sounds more matter-of-fact and may also open a sentence: Ponieważ pada, zostajemy w domu. bo starts only a short answer: Dlaczego? – Bo nie mam czasu.
For the result you say więc (so) or dlatego (that’s why, therefore): Jestem głodny, więc idę coś zjeść, Pada, dlatego zostajemy w domu. You ask with dlaczego (why), in conversation also with czemu.
The word order stays as in a main clause, as it does in English: bo jestem chory, “because I am ill”. Unlike English, there is a comma before all four words.
Worth knowing2
Worth knowing
The same order in every clause
Polish keeps one word order in all clauses, like English: bo jestem chory, ponieważ jestem chory. That goes for every subordinate clause, after że, kiedy and jeśli too.
Wiem, że Piotr mieszka w Gdańsku.I know that Piotr lives in Gdańsk.
Worth knowing
więc at the start
In conversation więc also opens a sentence, like English “so”: Więc co robimy? — So, what are we doing? Often no comes first: No więc. Careful writing avoids it.
No więc, idziemy?So, are we going?
The verbs on this page, in every form: być · mieć · iść · przyjść · pracować · spać · jeździć · uczyć