When learning a new language, it’s important to understand how to connect ideas. One of the most common ways to do this is by using the word “because.” In French, just like in English, “because” is used to explain why something happens or why you feel a certain way. Knowing how to say “because” in French will help you communicate more clearly and make your sentences sound more natural.
In this article, we will explore different ways to say “because” in French. We will also look at other phrases you can use to give reasons and responses. You will get the chance to practice with examples that are easy to understand. By the end, you’ll be more confident using this important word in your French conversations.
How to say “because” in French
In French, the word “because” is used in a similar way to how it’s used in English. However, French has several variations and phrases you can use depending on the context. Here are some common ways to say “because” in French:
Parce que
Pronunciation: /parss kuh/
Meaning: This is the most common and straightforward way to say “because” in French. It’s used to explain reasons in most situations.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à l’école parce que j’ai des examens. (I am going to school because I have exams.)
- Elle est en retard parce que son bus était en panne. (She is late because her bus broke down.)
Car
Pronunciation: /kar/
Meaning: This is another way to say “because” in French. It’s often used in more formal writing or speech and is similar to “because” but can feel a bit more structured.
In a Sentence:
- Il ne peut pas venir car il est malade. (He cannot come because he is sick.)
- Ils sont partis tôt car ils avaient un vol. (They left early because they had a flight.)
Puisque
Pronunciation: /pwee-skuh/
Meaning: This phrase is used when the reason you are giving is already known or obvious. It’s like saying “since” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Puisque tu es fatigué, tu devrais te reposer. (Since you are tired, you should rest.)
- Puisque il pleut, nous allons rester à la maison. (Since it’s raining, we will stay at home.)
À cause de
Pronunciation: /ah kooz duh/
Meaning: This means “because of” and is used when talking about a specific cause or situation that led to an effect. It’s often used when something negative happens.
In a Sentence:
- À cause de la neige, les routes sont fermées. (Because of the snow, the roads are closed.)
- Il a échoué à cause de son manque de préparation. (He failed because of his lack of preparation.)
En raison de
Pronunciation: /ah ray-zohn duh/
Meaning: Similar to “à cause de,” this phrase means “due to” or “because of.” It’s often used in formal situations or writing.
In a Sentence:
- En raison de l’accident, le train a été retardé. (Due to the accident, the train was delayed.)
- En raison de son comportement, il a été puni. (Because of his behavior, he was punished.)
Comme
Pronunciation: /kohm/
Meaning: While “comme” is usually used to mean “like,” it can also be used to mean “because” when explaining a reason, especially in casual speech.
In a Sentence:
- Comme je n’avais pas de monnaie, j’ai payé par carte. (Because I didn’t have any change, I paid by card.)
- Comme il pleut, je vais prendre un parapluie. (Because it’s raining, I’m going to take an umbrella.)
Grâce à
Pronunciation: /grahss ah/
Meaning: This phrase translates to “thanks to” and is used to explain a positive reason or cause.
In a Sentence:
- Grâce à ses efforts, elle a réussi. (Thanks to her efforts, she succeeded.)
- Grâce à l’aide de mon ami, j’ai terminé mon projet. (Thanks to my friend’s help, I finished my project.)
En conséquence
Pronunciation: /ah kon-seh-kahns/
Meaning: This phrase translates to “as a consequence” and is used to show the result of a cause.
In a Sentence:
- Il a manqué l’examen, en conséquence, il doit le repasser. (He missed the exam, as a consequence, he has to retake it.)
- En conséquence, les prix ont augmenté. (As a consequence, the prices went up.)
Pour cette raison
Pronunciation: /poor set ray-zohn/
Meaning: This means “for this reason” and is used when explaining why something happened.
In a Sentence:
- Pour cette raison, je ne peux pas venir aujourd’hui. (For this reason, I can’t come today.)
- Elle est partie tôt pour cette raison. (She left early for this reason.)
Sous prétexte de
Pronunciation: /soo preh-tehkst duh/
Meaning: This is used when someone gives an excuse for doing something, often for a questionable reason.
In a Sentence:
- Il est parti sous prétexte de travailler. (He left under the pretext of working.)
- Sous prétexte de la sécurité, ils ont fermé le parc. (Under the pretext of security, they closed the park.)
Par l’intermédiaire de
Pronunciation: /par lan-tehr-meh-dee-air duh/
Meaning: This phrase means “through the means of” and is used to indicate how something happens.
In a Sentence:
- Par l’intermédiaire de son avocat, il a envoyé une lettre. (Through the means of his lawyer, he sent a letter.)
- Par l’intermédiaire de cette association, nous avons reçu de l’aide. (Through the means of this association, we received help.)
Grâce à
Pronunciation: /grahss ah/
Meaning: Like “thanks to,” this phrase indicates a positive cause or reason.
In a Sentence:
- Grâce à son courage, il a réussi à sauver l’animal. (Thanks to his courage, he managed to save the animal.)
- Grâce à cette nouvelle technologie, les problèmes sont résolus plus rapidement. (Thanks to this new technology, problems are solved faster.)
Du fait de
Pronunciation: /du feh duh/
Meaning: This means “due to” or “because of,” often used in formal contexts.
In a Sentence:
- Il a été puni du fait de son comportement. (He was punished because of his behavior.)
- Du fait de la grève, les trains sont retardés. (Due to the strike, the trains are delayed.)
En vertu de
Pronunciation: /ah vehr-too duh/
Meaning: This is a formal way to say “by virtue of” or “because of.”
In a Sentence:
- En vertu de la loi, il ne peut pas être arrêté sans preuve. (By virtue of the law, he cannot be arrested without evidence.)
- Il a agi en vertu de son expérience. (He acted because of his experience.)
Parce que de
Pronunciation: /parss kuh duh/
Meaning: This phrase is similar to “parce que,” but it’s sometimes used to show the origin of a reason.
In a Sentence:
- Il a réussi, parce que de son travail acharné. (He succeeded, because of his hard work.)
- Parce que de sa gentillesse, tout le monde l’admire. (Because of his kindness, everyone admires him.)
Sous l’effet de
Pronunciation: /soo lay-fay duh/
Meaning: This phrase means “under the effect of,” often used for situations where a force or feeling leads to an outcome.
In a Sentence:
- Sous l’effet de la pression, il a pris une mauvaise décision. (Under the effect of pressure, he made a bad decision.)
- Sous l’effet de la chaleur, la peinture a fondu. (Under the effect of the heat, the paint melted.)
A cause de cela
Pronunciation: /ah kooz duh suh-lah/
Meaning: This means “because of that” and is used when explaining a reason after an event.
In a Sentence:
- Il a oublié son livre à cause de cela, il ne peut pas étudier. (He forgot his book, because of that, he cannot study.)
- Elle a raté le train à cause de cela. (She missed the train because of that.)
En raison de cela
Pronunciation: /ah ray-zohn duh suh-lah/
Meaning: This means “because of that” and is used for both formal and informal situations.
In a Sentence:
- En raison de cela, nous avons dû annuler le meeting. (Because of that, we had to cancel the meeting.)
- En raison de cela, elle a dû partir plus tôt. (Because of that, she had to leave earlier.)
De par
Pronunciation: /duh par/
Meaning: This expression is formal and means “by reason of” or “because of.”
In a Sentence:
- De par sa position, il a pu influencer la décision. (By reason of his position, he was able to influence the decision.)
- De par leur expertise, ils ont résolu le problème rapidement. (Because of their expertise, they solved the problem quickly.)
Pour la simple raison que
Pronunciation: /poor lah samp-luh ray-zohn kuh/
Meaning: This means “for the simple reason that,” and it is used to emphasize the reason behind something.
In a Sentence:
- Pour la simple raison que je suis fatigué, je vais me coucher tôt ce soir. (For the simple reason that I’m tired, I’ll go to bed early tonight.)
- Il a échoué pour la simple raison que il n’a pas étudié. (He failed for the simple reason that he didn’t study.)
Vu que
Pronunciation: /vuh kuh/
Meaning: This phrase means “since” or “considering that” and is used when explaining a reason that is understood by both speakers.
In a Sentence:
- Vu que tu es déjà là, nous pouvons commencer. (Since you are already here, we can start.)
- Vu que la réunion est annulée, nous pouvons rentrer chez nous. (Considering that the meeting is canceled, we can go home.)
Sous l’influence de
Pronunciation: /soo lan-flu-ahnss duh/
Meaning: This means “under the influence of,” often used when explaining a reason tied to a specific influence, like stress or alcohol.
In a Sentence:
- Sous l’influence de l’alcool, il a agi de manière étrange. (Under the influence of alcohol, he acted strangely.)
- Sous l’influence de ses amis, il a pris une mauvaise décision. (Under the influence of his friends, he made a bad decision.)
Dans le but de
Pronunciation: /dahng luh boo duh/
Meaning: This phrase means “with the aim of” or “in order to.” It’s used to explain why someone does something.
In a Sentence:
- Il a étudié dans le but de réussir son examen. (He studied in order to pass his exam.)
- Elle a déménagé dans le but de trouver un meilleur travail. (She moved with the aim of finding a better job.)
En conséquence de
Pronunciation: /ah kon-seh-kahns duh/
Meaning: Similar to “en conséquence,” this is used to explain a result that happened due to something else.
In a Sentence:
- En conséquence de son absence, il a perdu des points. (As a result of his absence, he lost points.)
- En conséquence de la décision, des changements ont été faits. (As a consequence of the decision, changes were made.)
Afin de
Pronunciation: /ah-fahn duh/
Meaning: This means “in order to,” and is used to explain the purpose of an action.
In a Sentence:
- Elle travaille dur afin de réussir ses examens. (She works hard in order to pass her exams.)
- Il a économisé de l’argent afin de partir en vacances. (He saved money in order to go on vacation.)
Other Ways to Say “Because” in French
Here are other expressions in French that can be used to convey the meaning of “because.” These alternatives are often used in different contexts to sound more natural and varied when speaking or writing in French.
| Other ways to say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example sentences |
| En raison de | /ah ray-zohn duh/ | Due to, because of | – En raison de la neige, nous avons annulé le voyage. (Due to the snow, we canceled the trip.) – En raison de son travail, il ne pouvait pas venir. (Because of his work, he couldn’t come.) |
| Grâce à | /grahss ah/ | Thanks to, because of | – Grâce à son aide, j’ai terminé le projet. (Thanks to his help, I finished the project.) – Grâce à la technologie, la communication est plus facile. (Because of technology, communication is easier.) |
| Pour | /poor/ | For (expressing reason or purpose) | – Il a fait ça pour nous aider. (He did it to help us.) – Elle est arrivée tôt pour éviter le trafic. (She arrived early to avoid the traffic.) |
| Sous prétexte de | /soo preh-tehkst duh/ | Under the pretext of | – Ils ont fermé l’école sous prétexte de travaux. (They closed the school under the pretext of construction.) – Il a quitté la réunion sous prétexte de son emploi du temps chargé. (He left the meeting under the pretext of his busy schedule.) |
| Vu que | /vuh kuh/ | Since, considering that | – Vu que tu as fini ton travail, tu peux partir. (Since you finished your work, you can leave.) – Vu que c’est ton anniversaire, je t’offre un cadeau. (Since it’s your birthday, I’ll give you a gift.) |
| À force de | /ah fors duh/ | By dint of, as a result of | – À force de travailler dur, il a réussi. (By dint of working hard, he succeeded.) – Elle a réussi à force de persévérer. (She succeeded by dint of perseverance.) |
| De ce fait | /duh suh fay/ | As a result, therefore | – Il a échoué, de ce fait, il doit recommencer. (He failed, as a result, he must start over.) – De ce fait, nous avons dû changer nos plans. (As a result, we had to change our plans.) |
| Sous l’effet de | /soo lay-fay duh/ | Under the effect of | – Sous l’effet de la colère, il a dit des choses qu’il regrettait. (Under the effect of anger, he said things he regretted.) – Il a agi sous l’effet de la peur. (He acted under the effect of fear.) |
| Parce qu’il | /parss keell/ | Because (informal, used before subject pronoun) | – Parce qu’il pleut, nous restons à l’intérieur. (Because he is raining, we stay inside.) – Je suis en retard parce qu’il y avait du trafic. (I’m late because there was traffic.) |
| En raison de cela | /ah ray-zohn duh suh-lah/ | Because of that, for that reason | – Elle est partie tôt en raison de cela. (She left early because of that.) – En raison de cela, nous avons dû changer nos plans. (Because of that, we had to change our plans.) |
| Afin que | /ah-fahn kuh/ | So that, in order that | – Elle a pris des notes afin que tout soit clair. (She took notes so that everything is clear.) – Nous avons travaillé tard afin que le projet soit terminé. (We worked late so that the project is finished.) |
| Dans le but de | /dahng luh boo duh/ | With the aim of, in order to | – Ils ont mis de l’argent de côté dans le but de voyager. (They saved money with the aim of traveling.) – Il a fait des études dans le but de devenir médecin. (He studied in order to become a doctor.) |
| À cause de cela | /ah kooz duh suh-lah/ | Because of that | – Il est resté à la maison à cause de cela. (He stayed home because of that.) – À cause de cela, elle a raté le train. (Because of that, she missed the train.) |
| Puisque | /pwee-skuh/ | Since, because (assumes knowledge of the reason) | – Puisque tu es fatigué, repose-toi. (Since you are tired, rest.) – Puisque il est tard, allons-nous coucher. (Since it’s late, let’s go to bed.) |
| De par | /duh par/ | Because of, by reason of | – De par sa position, il a été choisi. (By reason of his position, he was chosen.) – De par sa gentillesse, elle a gagné le respect de tout le monde. (Because of her kindness, she earned everyone’s respect.) |
| À la suite de | /ah lah sweet duh/ | Following, as a result of | – À la suite de l’accident, la route est fermée. (Following the accident, the road is closed.) – Il a été puni à la suite de son comportement. (He was punished as a result of his behavior.) |
| Sous la pression de | /soo lah pres-syon duh/ | Under the pressure of | – Il a agi sous la pression de ses collègues. (He acted under the pressure of his colleagues.) – Sous la pression de son patron, il a accepté le travail. (Under the pressure of his boss, he accepted the job.) |
| Par suite de | /par sweet duh/ | As a result of, due to | – Par suite de l’échec, il a dû recommencer. (As a result of the failure, he had to start again.) – Par suite de la grève, le service est interrompu. (Due to the strike, the service is interrupted.) |
| En vertu de | /ah vehr-too duh/ | By virtue of, because of | – En vertu de la loi, il doit payer une amende. (By virtue of the law, he must pay a fine.) – Elle a été récompensée en vertu de son courage. (She was rewarded because of her courage.) |
Response to “Because” in French
In conversations, when someone explains a reason using “because,” you might want to respond to acknowledge their explanation. In French, there are several ways to reply to someone’s reason, depending on the situation. Here are some common responses you can use.
D’accord
Pronunciation: /dah-kor/
Meaning: “Okay” or “I understand.” This is a simple, informal way to show you’ve understood the reason.
In a Sentence:
- “Je suis en retard parce que j’ai raté le bus.” (I’m late because I missed the bus.)
- “D’accord, ça arrive.” (Okay, it happens.)
Je vois
Pronunciation: /zhuh vwah/
Meaning: “I see.” Used to express understanding or acknowledgment of the reason given.
In a Sentence:
- “Je suis fatigué parce que j’ai beaucoup travaillé.” (I’m tired because I’ve worked a lot.)
- “Je vois, tu mérites un repos.” (I see, you deserve a rest.)
C’est compréhensible
Pronunciation: /seh kohm-pray-ahns-uh-bluh/
Meaning: “That’s understandable.” It’s a polite way to show that the reason makes sense.
In a Sentence:
- “Je ne peux pas venir parce que je suis malade.” (I can’t come because I’m sick.)
- “C’est compréhensible, repose-toi bien.” (That’s understandable, rest well.)
Ah, je comprends
Pronunciation: /ah, zhuh kohm-pron/
Meaning: “Ah, I understand.” A casual way to express that you now understand why something is happening.
In a Sentence:
- “Elle est partie tôt parce que elle avait un rendez-vous.” (She left early because she had an appointment.)
- “Ah, je comprends, c’est important.” (Ah, I understand, it’s important.)
Ça se comprend
Pronunciation: /sah suh kohm-prahnd/
Meaning: “That makes sense.” You can use this when you agree with the reason given.
In a Sentence:
- “Il a quitté tôt parce que son avion partait.” (He left early because his flight was leaving.)
- “Ça se comprend, il ne veut pas rater son vol.” (That makes sense, he doesn’t want to miss his flight.)
C’est normal
Pronunciation: /seh nor-mahl/
Meaning: “It’s normal.” Used when the reason is understandable or expected.
In a Sentence:
- “Je suis stressé parce que j’ai un examen demain.” (I’m stressed because I have an exam tomorrow.)
- “C’est normal, tout le monde se sent comme ça avant un examen.” (It’s normal, everyone feels like that before an exam.)
Je comprends pourquoi
Pronunciation: /zhuh kohm-pron poor-kwah/
Meaning: “I understand why.” This shows that you understand the reason and also the cause behind it.
In a Sentence:
- “Il est triste parce que son chien est malade.” (He’s sad because his dog is sick.)
- “Je comprends pourquoi, c’est difficile.” (I understand why, it’s difficult.)
Ça va
Pronunciation: /sah vah/
Meaning: “It’s fine” or “It’s okay.” This response shows that you’re not upset or surprised by the reason given.
In a Sentence:
- “Je suis en retard parce que je n’ai pas entendu l’alarme.” (I’m late because I didn’t hear the alarm.)
- “Ça va, ce n’est pas grave.” (It’s fine, it’s not a big deal.)
Je comprends mieux maintenant
Pronunciation: /zhuh kohm-pron myuh maint-nahnt/
Meaning: “I understand better now.” You can use this when someone’s explanation has cleared up your confusion.
In a Sentence:
- “Je n’ai pas pu assister parce que j’étais occupé.” (I couldn’t attend because I was busy.)
- “Je comprends mieux maintenant, tu avais beaucoup à faire.” (I understand better now, you had a lot to do.)
Je ne savais pas
Pronunciation: /zhuh nuh sah-veh pah/
Meaning: “I didn’t know.” This is used when you were unaware of the reason before.
In a Sentence:
- “Je ne viens pas parce que j’ai un autre engagement.” (I’m not coming because I have another commitment.)
- “Je ne savais pas, mais c’est compréhensible.” (I didn’t know, but it’s understandable.)
Je suis d’accord
Pronunciation: /zhuh swee dah-kor/
Meaning: “I agree.” This is used when you completely agree with the reason someone gives.
In a Sentence:
- “Je suis désolé parce que j’ai oublié ton anniversaire.” (I’m sorry because I forgot your birthday.)
- “Je suis d’accord, tout le monde peut oublier parfois.” (I agree, everyone can forget sometimes.)
Tout à fait
Pronunciation: /too ah fay/
Meaning: “Absolutely” or “Exactly.” This is used when you fully agree with the explanation or reason.
In a Sentence:
- “Il est parti tôt parce que il avait une réunion importante.” (He left early because he had an important meeting.)
- “Tout à fait, c’est une bonne raison.” (Exactly, that’s a good reason.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Because” in French
Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using the different ways to say “because” in French. After the exercises, you will find the answers along with the meaning of each sentence.
Fill in the blanks:
- Je vais à l’école ______ j’ai un examen.
- Il a mangé beaucoup de chocolat ______ il en avait envie.
- ______ il pleut, nous restons à l’intérieur.
- ______ il a raté son train, il est arrivé en retard.
- Elle a pris un parapluie ______ il pleuvait.
- ______ son travail, il ne peut pas venir ce soir.
- ______ je suis fatigué, je vais dormir tôt ce soir.
- Il est parti tôt ______ il avait un rendez-vous.
- Nous avons dû annuler le voyage ______ la grève.
- ______ je suis en retard, je dois partir maintenant.
- ______ il est malade, il ne peut pas venir à la fête.
- ______ tu es fatigué, repose-toi.
Answers and Explanations:
- Parce que (because)
Je vais à l’école parce que j’ai un examen. (I am going to school because I have an exam.) - Parce qu’ (because)
Il a mangé beaucoup de chocolat parce qu’ il en avait envie. (He ate a lot of chocolate because he wanted it.) - Puisque (since)
Puisque il pleut, nous restons à l’intérieur. (Since it’s raining, we stay inside.) - À cause de (because of)
À cause de il a raté son train, il est arrivé en retard. (Because of missing his train, he arrived late.) - Parce que (because)
Elle a pris un parapluie parce que il pleuvait. (She took an umbrella because it was raining.) - En raison de (due to)
En raison de son travail, il ne peut pas venir ce soir. (Due to his work, he cannot come tonight.) - Parce que (because)
Parce que je suis fatigué, je vais dormir tôt ce soir. (Because I am tired, I will sleep early tonight.) - Parce que (because)
Il est parti tôt parce que il avait un rendez-vous. (He left early because he had an appointment.) - À cause de (because of)
Nous avons dû annuler le voyage à cause de la grève. (We had to cancel the trip because of the strike.) - Parce que (because)
Parce que je suis en retard, je dois partir maintenant. (Because I am late, I have to leave now.) - Parce qu’ (because)
Parce qu’ il est malade, il ne peut pas venir à la fête. (Because he is sick, he can’t come to the party.) - Puisque (since)
Puisque tu es fatigué, repose-toi. (Since you are tired, rest.)
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve learned how to say “because” in French in various ways, and how to respond when someone explains their reason. Whether you’re using parce que, puisque, or à cause de, these phrases help you connect ideas and express causes and effects clearly in French. We’ve also explored how to practice these phrases in everyday situations to make your conversations sound more natural.
By practicing the exercises, you can improve your understanding and ability to use these phrases in real life. Whether you’re having a casual conversation or explaining something in more formal settings, you’ll now have a variety of ways to say “because” in French. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be more confident in your French-speaking abilities!