▎因為 A，所以 B, (yīnwèi (Conj) A, suǒyĭ (Conj) B), to express cause and effect

 

Function The ‘因為 A，所以 B’ pattern links clauses to indicate cause (A) and effect (B), therefore.

1 因為現在去玩的人比較少，所以旅館不太貴。

Yīnwèi xiànzài qù wán de rén bǐjiào shǎo, suǒyǐ lǚguǎn bútài guì.

Because now fewer people go there, (therefore) the hotels are not that expensive.

2 因為火車太慢了，所以我想坐高鐵。

Yīnwèi huǒchē tài màn le, suǒyǐ wǒ xiǎng zuò gāotiě.

Because the train is too slow, so I’d like to take the HSR.

3 因為我不會做飯，所以常去餐廳吃飯。

Yīnwèi wǒ bú huì zuòfàn, suǒyǐ cháng qù cāntīng chīfàn.

Because I don’t know how to cook, (therefore) (I) often go to eat at restaurants.

4 因為我不知道在哪裡買票，所以想請你幫我買。

Yīnwèi wǒ bù zhīdào zài nǎlǐ mǎi piào, suǒyǐ xiǎng qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ mǎi.

Because I don’t know where to buy tickets, (so) (I)’d like to ask you to buy one for me.

 

Usage The two conjuctions, 因為yīnwèi and 所以suǒyǐ, almost always appear as pairs in sentences, while in English, for example, pairing does not happen. Pairing is a reinforcement strategy. In Chinese, cause almost always comes before effect.