çünki

Because Clause

Level 3

Main Clause + , + çünki + Reason Clause

How It Works

The conjunction çünki is a loanword from Persian that has become a fundamental part of the Azerbaijani language. It is used to connect a result (the main clause) with its cause (the subordinate clause).

Key Rules:

  • Punctuation: In written Azerbaijani, you must always place a comma before çünki.
  • Word Order: The clause following çünki follows the standard SOV word order (Subject-Object-Verb).
  • Position: It almost always appears in the middle of a sentence, following the main action.

While native Azerbaijani also uses suffix-based ways to express reason (like üçün), çünki is preferred when you want to provide a clear, separate explanation or when the reason is a complex sentence itself.

Examples (4)

  1. Mən bu gün işə getmədim, çünki özümü yaxşı hiss etmirəm.

    I didn't go to work today because I don't feel well.

    Word by Word: I today to-work go-did-not, because myself good feel do-not.

    Notice the comma before 'çünki' and how the reason follows the main action.

  2. O, dərslərindən əla qiymət alır, çünki çox çalışır.

    He gets excellent grades in his lessons because he studies hard.

    Word by Word: He, from-his-lessons excellent grade takes, because much works.

    The verb 'çalışır' stays at the end of the second clause, following standard word order.

  3. Biz qapını bağladıq, çünki çöldə hava çox soyuq idi.

    We closed the door because it was very cold outside.

    Word by Word: We the-door closed, because outside weather very cold was.

    Here, 'çünki' explains the reason for the action 'bağladıq' (we closed).

  4. Yemək yemirəm, çünki ac deyiləm.

    I am not eating because I am not hungry.

    Word by Word: Food I-eat-not, because hungry not-am.

    This uses 'çünki' followed by a nominal negation using 'deyil'.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the comma before 'çünki'.

    Gəlmədim çünki məşğul idim.
    Gəlmədim, çünki məşğul idim.

    In Azerbaijani orthography, a comma is mandatory before the conjunction 'çünki' when it introduces a new clause.

  • Using English word order (SVO) after 'çünki'.

    Yatdım, çünki mən idim yorğun.
    Yatdım, çünki mən yorğun idim.

    Even after çünki, the predicate normally stays at the end of the clause.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

çünkiLevel 3Because Clause

Learn This First

To understand the 'çünki' causal clause, a learner needs to be able to form complete independent sentences first. Since 'çünki' connects a result to a reason, the learner must be familiar with basic word order and common past tense markers (both verbal and nominal) used to describe the situations being linked.

Words in This Pattern

çünki