using 'because'
- Thread starter Harun
- Start date
- 15 Mar 2002
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Like everything else in Japanese, it depends on the context. Unfortunately, there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer to your question.
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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There's no real solid "because" word in Japanese. However they say something like "if you ask why" to express "because". There are quite a few ways to say "if you ask why" in Japanese. Here are a few:
なぜなら
なぜならは
なんでかゆったら (Kansai dialect)
そのわけは (lit. the reason for that)
You also have to put からだ at the end of the sentence. So you might have なんでかゆったら(reason)からだ
なぜなら
なぜならは
なんでかゆったら (Kansai dialect)
そのわけは (lit. the reason for that)
You also have to put からだ at the end of the sentence. So you might have なんでかゆったら(reason)からだ
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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Well there's that too. Again, it's sort of a variation of the others. The って part meaning 'say'.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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ええ？！ Are you thinking about this too much, Bucko ?
The easiest two for the way we might use it in English are ので、（だ）から。
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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- 27
ええ？！ Are you thinking about this too much, Bucko ?
The easiest two for the way we might use it in English are ので、（だ）から。
Yeah but he asked about the word "because" specifically, not how to give reason (as there are a heap of other ways to do that). And I had quite a few people tell me in Osaka to say なんでかゆったら before giving reason (kind of like a 'because').
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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And a Japanese translator was the one who explained to me about the whole "if you ask why" meaning.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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Look in any 英和 dictionary under "because" and ので、から are going to be in the first two or three listings....
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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Not in my dictionary. The first that come up are:
なぜなれば・・・だから
そのわけは・・・だから
というのは・・・
もの
I actually answered his question by looking in my dictionary first to see what came up.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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Well, then is it a dictionary of British or Australian English ? If not, check the results under から、ので、
Those are ones I and most Japanese use and see those everyday, same with ため、very rarely as formal as なぜなれば。 Particularly for a highly beginner's question like what we're trying to get back with here....
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
- 765
- 27
Well, then is it a dictionary of British or Australian English ? If not, check the results under から、ので、
Those are ones I and most Japanese use and see those everyday, same with ため、very rarely as formal as なぜなれば。 Particularly for a highly beginner's question like what we're trying to get back with here....
Haha. Poor Harun must be freaking out. All he wanted was a lil' help
To answer your question though, I just typed in "because" into my Canon Wordtank and looked at what came up. And since Harun never really asked specifically what he wanted to say I thought I'd be a little more helpful than Mike Cash by giving him at least some sort of answer.
By the way, you've mentioned the whole British/American English thing before, but you realise British and American English is pretty much exactly the same. Except for the odd spelling change here and there they're pretty much identical. There was a study done once where students had to read a paper and identify where the author was from based on the way he wrote (the spelling was adjusted I assume), and no one was able to guess.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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I checked it in Jim Breen and there was that (uk) designation, which made me wonder if that was from where it was submitted or something else. BrEng dictionaries could be a whole lot more high-falutin' for all that I'm aware....Haha. Poor Harun must be freaking out. All he wanted was a lil' help
By the way, you've mentioned the whole British/American English thing before, but you realise British and American English is pretty much exactly the same. Except for the odd spelling change here and there they're pretty much identical. There was a study done once where students had to read a paper and identify where the author was from based on the way he wrote (the spelling was adjusted I assume), and no one was able to guess.
Anyway, will try to come up with an example for Harun if no one else gets there first...
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
- 765
- 27
Here's a simple example for Harun (if he's still around )
Q: Why did you come to Japan?
なんで日本に来ましたか (nande nihon ni kimashita ka)
A: Because I like cherry blossoms.
桜が好きだから (sakura ga suki da kara)
The から (kara) here means "because"
Now, if only I'd given this as my first reply!
)Q: Why did you come to Japan?
なんで日本に来ましたか (nande nihon ni kimashita ka)
A: Because I like cherry blossoms.
桜が好きだから (sakura ga suki da kara)
The から (kara) here means "because"
Now, if only I'd given this as my first reply!
acquiredtarget
Um...okay
- 27 Sep 2004
- 187
- 2
Sorry to ask this, but is that は pronounced "は" or "わ"
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
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- 27
It's the subject (or topic??) marker 'wa'.
acquiredtarget
Um...okay
- 27 Sep 2004
- 187
- 2
D'oh, should recognized that. *sigh* back to the beginning of the text
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
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- 135
（という）のは as "because" or "the reason for" is basically standing for （という）理由(reason) は。if that helps at all....D'oh, should recognized that. *sigh* back to the beginning of the text
acquiredtarget
Um...okay
- 27 Sep 2004
- 187
- 2
That helps, just need to remember to review the basics every now and then
