چون، زیرا، به خاطر
Giving Reasons
چون can also start the sentence, and زیرا always comes after the main clause.
How It Works
Say the result first and the reason second: نیامدم، چون مریض بودم. (I didn't come, because I was sick.) The reason has its own subject and verb.
| Word | Comes before | Example |
|---|---|---|
| چون | a reason clause | چون هوا سرد بود، خانه ماندیم. |
| زیرا | a reason clause, in writing | دفتر بسته است، زیرا جمعه است. |
| به خاطر | a noun | به خاطر باران، نیامدم. |
| به خاطر اینکه | a reason clause | به خاطر اینکه خسته بودم، خوابیدم. |
چون can open the sentence or follow the main clause. زیرا is a written word. It joins the reason to the clause before it, after a comma. To start with the reason, use چون.
Examples (5)
- امروز به مکتب نرفتم، چون سرم درد می‌کرد.
I didn't go to school today because I had a headache.
چون opens the reason, and the reason has its own verb.
- چون هوا سرد بود، شیرچای خوردیم.
Because the weather was cold, we had milk tea.
چون can also start the sentence.
- دفتر امروز بسته است، زیرا جمعه است.
The office is closed today, because it is Friday.
زیرا follows the main clause, after a comma.
- به خاطر باران، به میله نرفتیم.
Because of the rain, we didn't go on the picnic.
به خاطر comes before the noun باران.
- دیر رسیدیم، به خاطر اینکه موترمان خراب شد.
We arrived late because our car broke down.
به خاطر اینکه brings in a whole clause.
Common Mistakes
Using به خاطر before a full clause without اینکه.
به خاطر مریض بودم، نیامدم.به خاطر اینکه مریض بودم، نیامدم.Before a clause, به خاطر needs اینکه. You can also use چون: چون مریض بودم، نیامدم.
Putting زیرا before the result.
زیرا مریض بودم، نیامدم.نیامدم، زیرا مریض بودم.زیرا comes between the result and the reason. To put the reason first, use چون.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These words join two parts of a sentence and give the reason for the first part, so the joining words come first.
Related Patterns
- پس و به همین خاطرSo and That Is Why
This is the other direction: you give the cause first, and then the result.
Level 3 - تا و برای اینکهPurpose with تا and برای اینکه
Use چون for why something happened and تا for what it is for.
Level 3 - اگرچه و با اینکهAlthough
با اینکه joins two clauses that pull against each other, where چون gives a reason.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice چون، زیرا، به خاطر in Bubblegum
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