משום ש־ / מאחר ש־

Reasons in Careful Prose

Level 5

משום ש and מאחר ש can mean because or since in a causal sense. They introduce the situation that explains another statement.

How It Works

A Complete Clause

Attach ש to the clause’s first word: משום שהוא עייף, מאחר שהחנות סגורה. The clause keeps its own subject, predicate and negation.

Order and Register

The reason can precede or follow the main result. These connectors are useful in careful explanations and written argument. Everyday כי often expresses the same broad causal relationship in a shorter form.

Causal Since or Temporal Since?

English since has both jobs. מאחר ש supplies the reason here, while מאז ש names the event that begins a time interval. A noun cause phrase instead can use בגלל, בשל or עקב; the clause connector cannot be copied in front of a bare noun without a predicate.

Examples (4)

  1. נשארתי בבית משום שירד גשם.

    I stayed at home because it rained.

    The cause clause follows the main event.

  2. מאחר שאין זמן, נקצר את הפגישה.

    Since there is no time, we will shorten the meeting.

    The cause precedes the result.

  3. היא לא באה משום שהיא הייתה חולה.

    She did not come because she was ill.

    The full context gives the illness as the reason for the nonarrival.

  4. מאחר שהחנות סגורה, נחזור מחר.

    Since the shop is closed, we will return tomorrow.

    The subordinate clause has a noun and adjective predicate.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a clause connector before a bare reason noun.

    נשארתי בבית משום שהגשם.
    נשארתי בבית משום שירד גשם.

    Supply a complete clause, or use בגלל הגשם for a noun cause.

How It Connects

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

משום ש־ / מאחר ש־Level 5Reasons in Careful Prose

Learn This First

Introduce a finite cause in contemporary edited registers.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.