þess vegna
That Is Why (Þess Vegna)
þess vegna means that is why: Ég var veikur. Þess vegna kom ég ekki (I was sick. That is why I didn't come).
How It Works
Reason first, result second.
- Ég var veikur. Þess vegna kom ég ekki. (I was sick. That is why I didn't come.)
- Það var hálka og þess vegna keyrði hún hægt. (The roads were icy, and that is why she drove slowly.)
Word order. þess vegna takes the first place, so the verb comes next, then the subject: Þess vegna fórum við heim. After og, the same order holds: ... og þess vegna keyrði hún hægt. It can also stand later in the clause: Ég kom þess vegna ekki.
þess vegna or vegna þess að? The same two words, but opposite jobs:
- Ég kom ekki vegna þess að ég var veikur. Gives the reason (because).
- Ég var veikur. Þess vegna kom ég ekki. Gives the result (that is why).
Stressing the reason. Það er þess vegna sem ... means that is exactly why ...: Það er þess vegna sem ég er að læra íslensku.
Formal cousins. In writing you may also see þar af leiðandi (consequently). See auk þess/þar af leiðandi.
Examples (5)
- Ég var veikur. Þess vegna kom ég ekki.
I was sick. That's why I didn't come.
Word by Word: I was sick. Therefore came I not.
- Það var hálka og þess vegna keyrði hún hægt.
The roads were icy, and that's why she drove slowly.
Word by Word: It was ice and therefore drove she slowly.
- Búðin var lokuð. Þess vegna fórum við heim.
The shop was closed. That's why we went home.
Word by Word: The shop was closed. Therefore went we home.
- Hann býr í Noregi. Þess vegna talar hann norsku.
He lives in Norway. That's why he speaks Norwegian.
Word by Word: He lives in Norway. Therefore speaks he Norwegian.
- Það er þess vegna sem ég er að læra íslensku.
That is exactly why I'm learning Icelandic.
Word by Word: It is therefore that I am at learn Icelandic.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the subject first after þess vegna.
Þess vegna ég kom ekki.Þess vegna kom ég ekki.þess vegna fills the first place, so the verb comes next and the subject follows it.
Using þess vegna for because.
Ég kom ekki þess vegna ég var veikur.Ég kom ekki vegna þess að ég var veikur.þess vegna means that is why and points to a result. To give the reason, use vegna þess að or af því að.
How It Connects
Learn This First
þess vegna builds on vegna þess að.
Related Patterns
- af því aðBecause (Af Því Að)
Another way to give the reason; þess vegna gives the result.
Level 1 - The Verb Comes Second
Explains why the verb comes right after þess vegna.
Level 1 - ogAnd (Og)
og þess vegna joins the reason and the result in one sentence.
Level 1 - svo aðSo and So That (Svo Að)
svo að with the indicative also gives a result: Það var kalt, svo að við fórum heim.
Level 4 - auk þess / þar af leiðandiMoreover and Consequently
þar af leiðandi (consequently) is a more formal way to draw a result.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice þess vegna in Bubblegum
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