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How To Say 'Because' In Korean (왜냐하면... V + 거든요 & (기) 때문에)

Written byLee Min-jung (이민정)

In Korean, explaining reasons or causes often involves the structures '왜냐하면... V + 거든요' and '(기) 때문에'.

This guide will help you understand the usage and differences between these expressions.

왜냐하면... V + 거든요

The combination of 왜냐하면 and V + 거든요 translates to "because." Here are examples to help clarify the concept:

Examples:

I study Korean every day because I want to speak Korean well.

I enjoy listening to the radio because new music is consistently interesting.

Osaka was great, but I personally preferred Kyoto because Osaka had too many people.

These days I commute to Busan by bus because it is more cost-effective than the train.

(기) 때문에

This structure provides another way to express "because" or "due to."

Examples:

I make my lunch every day because I aim to have a healthier diet.

Locating shoes in Korean stores is challenging because I have large feet.

My friend experiences stress because he dedicates himself entirely to his job.

The chilly weather caused the bus to be delayed.

Due to the loud noise, I had difficulty hearing.

Understanding 왜냐하면... V + 거든요 and (기) 때문에 will significantly enhance your capacity to explain reasons and causes in Korean.

These structures, while different in form, help to convey rationale and justification seamlessly.

The more you practice, the more naturally you'll be able to utilize them in your conversations.

Because of/it's N: (이)라서

How To Say 'Barely' Or 'Hardly' In Korean (는 둥 마는 둥 하다)

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Lee Min-jung (이민정)

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