Structure
Verb + ので + Phrase
[い]Adjective + ので + Phrase
[な]Adjective + な + ので + Phrase
Noun + な + ので + Phrase
Details
Part of Speech
Particle
Word Type
Conjunctive Particle
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Standard
About ので
ので is a Japanese grammar structure called a conjunction particle. This means that it connects two parts of a sentence 'logically'. The connection that ので makes between (A), and (B), is similar to から, meaning that it is often translated as 'because', or 'since'.
When used after な-Adjectives or nouns, な must precede ので.
When used as 'since', ので puts emphasis on the sentence as a whole, or on the effects caused. It then examines those reasons objectively (in a way that is based on facts, rather than feelings or opinions). から tends to be more subjective, and can sound much more vague when used as 'because'.
We can see here that から is not quite as strong as ので. This relates back to the base meaning of から being 'from', rather than 'because'.
Caution
ので can sometimes be seen as んで, which is a more casual variation. Also, unlike many grammar points that connect to verbs, ので may be used with the ます form. This is something that is unique to conjunction particles.
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今テストがあるんで、後で電話します。Because I have a test now, I will call you later.
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明日はお客が来ますので、掃除をします。Since a guest is coming tomorrow, I am going to clean.
Synonyms
Examples
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私は寿司が好きではないので、食べない。
I don't like sushi, so I don't eat it.
今日は時間がないので、明日に漢字を教えます。
Because we don't have time today, I will teach you kanji tomorrow.
今日は先生が休みなので、授業がなくなった。
Since the teacher has the day off today, classes were cancelled.
土曜日なので、旅行に行きたい。
Because it is Saturday, I want to go on a trip.
今日は一月二十日なので、彼の誕生日です。
Since today is January 20th, it is his birthday.
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A tale of two Japanese 'because' words
SelfTaughtJapanese
BECAUSE (から vs ので, からです vs ですから)
Japanese Ammo
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Genki I
Page 232
Genki I 2nd Edition
Page 273
みんなの日本語 II
Page 90 [CH 39]
みんなの日本語 II
Page 150 [CH 49]
Marugoto Elementary 2 (A2) Rikai
Page 40
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 328
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 108
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ので – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (22 in total)
Marcus
Grammar!!!
Thank you so much @nekoyama !
MikkaT
Hi,
would it be possible to translate ので and から as “that’s why” as well?
I does seem to work for every example sentence.
I makes some of them even easier to match the Japanese examples in my opinion.I don’t eat vegetables because I don’t like them.
would become:
I don’t like vegetables, that’s why I don’t eat them.That would be mich closer to the structure of the Japanese sentence:
やさい がきらいだから, たべませんor
I go to the gym because I am weak.
would become:
I am weak, that’s why I go to the gym.
Again matching the Japanese sentence:
わたしはよわいので、ジムへいきます。Would that be possible or is there maybe a problem with mix ups with other grammar I still don’t know about?
IcyIceBear
Personally for those, I switched my English around instead.
“Because I am weak, I go to the gym. "
" I am weak, so I go to the gym”“Because I don’t like vegetables, I don’t eat them”
" I don’t like vegetables so I don’t eat them"I don’t see a huge problem with your interpretation of it, because honestly the English you translate it to in your head/on paper to make sense of it is just a foothold for now. As you learn new grammar and gain experience with the old, your “translations” or feelings/sense of the grammar points will shift and adjust to make room for more to place next to them. So for now sure let them be “that’s why” but don’t be surprised if that gets more elaborate/ changes slightly as you gain experience and comparable vocab/grammar.
But also remember you are learning Japanese , which wasn’t made for the purpose of being closely translated to English. It’s go...
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