Why do you want to learn French? Because it's a beautiful language, of course! But what if you want to explain why something is the way it is in French? While "parce que" is the most common way to say "because," just like in English, there are many other ways to express cause and reason.

Knowing these alternatives will make your French sound more natural and sophisticated, allowing you to express nuance and avoid repetition.

Ready to dive into the wonderful world of French conjunctions? Let's explore 9 different ways to say "because" in French!

The standard and most common 'because' – parce que

In French, parce que is the most common and versatile way to say 'because'.

It functions as a conjunction, connecting a main clause to a subordinate clause that explains the cause or reason for something.

You can use parce que in almost any situation, whether formal or informal, making it your go-to choice for expressing causality.

It is particularly common when directly answering a question posed with Pourquoi ? (Why?).

Remember that parce que contracts to parce qu' when it precedes a word starting with a vowel or a silent 'h'.

While parce que is standard, you might also encounter car. Car also means 'because' but is generally more formal or literary, and tends to introduce an explanation rather than a direct cause. Stick with parce que for everyday speech.

Another related word is puisque, which implies that the reason is already known or obvious to the listener, or that the speaker is simply stating a fact. Parce que introduces new information as the reason.

💡 * Je suis fatigué parce que j'ai mal dormi. (I am tired because I slept badly.)

Elle est heureuse parce qu'elle a réussi son examen. (She is happy because she passed her exam.)

Nous allons au cinéma parce que nous aimons les films. (We are going to the cinema because we like movies.)

Il ne peut pas venir parce qu'il travaille. (He cannot come because he is working.)

Pourquoi tu ris ? Parce que c'est drôle ! (Why are you laughing? Because it's funny!)

The more formal 'for' or 'as' – car

The more formal 'for' or 'as' – car

When you want to express a reason or a justification in French, you'll often encounter the conjunction car. While it translates to 'for' or 'because' in English, it carries a distinct nuance compared to other similar words.

Car is generally considered more formal than parce que ('because'). You'll typically find it in written French, more formal speeches, or when you want to provide a justification rather than a direct cause.

Unlike parce que, which introduces a direct cause-and-effect relationship, car often introduces an explanation, a reason, or a justification for what has just been stated. Think of it as providing additional context or an argument.

An important grammatical point is that car rarely starts a sentence. It always connects two clauses, providing the reason for the first clause.

You would use car when you're giving a logical explanation, an argument, or a more considered reason for a statement. For instance, in an essay, a formal letter, or a debate, car adds a touch of sophistication.

💡 * Il ne peut pas venir, car il est malade. (He cannot come, for he is sick.)

Nous devons partir, car il se fait tard. (We must leave, for it is getting late.)

Elle a réussi, car elle a beaucoup travaillé. (She succeeded, for she worked a lot.)

Ne t'inquiète pas, car tout ira bien. (Don't worry, for everything will be fine.)

The 'since' implying an obvious reason – puisque

When expressing 'since' or 'as' in French, particularly for a reason that is already known or obvious to the listener, the word to use is puisque.

Puisque translates to 'since' or 'as' and introduces a cause or reason that is considered self-evident, already known, or assumed by the speaker to be known by the listener. It often implies a logical deduction.

Unlike parce que ('because'), which provides new information or the direct cause, puisque usually refers to a fact or premise that is already established. Think of it as 'Given that...' or 'Seeing as...'

Puisque typically begins a subordinate clause, often placed before the main clause, but it can also connect two clauses in the middle of a sentence, with the puisque clause providing the obvious reason for the preceding statement.

The 'obviousness' conveyed by puisque can sometimes carry a subtle tone of reproach, impatience, or resignation, as if the speaker is stating something that should be clear to everyone.

Use puisque when the reason is a shared understanding or an undeniable fact, serving as a logical foundation rather than a simple explanation of cause.

💡 * Puisque tu es fatigué, va te coucher. (Since you're tired, go to bed.)

On ne peut pas sortir, puisqu'il pleut. (We can't go out, since it's raining.)

Puisqu'il est parti, nous n'avons plus rien à faire ici. (Since he left, we have nothing left to do here.)

Tu dois faire tes devoirs, puisque c'est la règle. (You have to do your homework, since it's the rule.)

The 'as' or 'since' often at the start of a sentence – comme

The French word comme is a versatile conjunction and adverb, frequently translated as 'as,' 'since,' or 'like' in English. Its meaning largely depends on its placement and the context of the sentence.

When comme appears at the beginning of a sentence, it often introduces a cause or reason, meaning 'as' or 'since.' This usage is common in formal and informal contexts to state a known fact or explanation before the main clause.

In its most common role, comme acts as a conjunction of comparison, meaning 'like' or 'as.' It's used to show similarity between two things or actions, often appearing in the middle of a sentence.

It's crucial not to confuse comme with comment (how). While both relate to manner, comme states a fact, a comparison, or a reason, whereas comment is typically used to ask about a method or way of doing something.

💡 * Comme il pleut, nous restons à la maison. (Since it's raining, we're staying home.)

Comme tu sais, je parle français. (As you know, I speak French.)

Il chante comme un professionnel. (He sings like a professional.)

Elle est belle comme une fleur. (She is beautiful like a flower.)

Comme il était fatigué, il est allé se coucher tôt. (As he was tired, he went to bed early.)

The 'thanks to' for positive causes – grâce à

The 'thanks to' for positive causes – grâce à

Grâce à directly translates to 'thanks to' or 'owing to' in English, indicating a positive attribution.

This phrase is exclusively used to attribute a positive or favorable outcome to a specific cause, person, or event. It conveys a sense of gratitude or appreciation for a good result.

As a prepositional phrase, grâce à is always followed by a noun or a stressed pronoun (e.g., moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles).

It stands in direct contrast to à cause de ('because of' or 'due to'), which is typically reserved for negative or neutral situations. Remember, grâce à is solely for beneficial influences!

Always associate grâce à with positive results, beneficial influences, or fortunate circumstances.

💡 * Grâce à ton aide, j'ai réussi mon examen. (Thanks to your help, I passed my exam.)

Elle a trouvé un bon emploi grâce à ses compétences. (She found a good job thanks to her skills.)

Nous avons gagné le match grâce à l'esprit d'équipe. (We won the match thanks to teamwork.)

Grâce à la pluie, les fleurs sont magnifiques. (Thanks to the rain, the flowers are beautiful.)

Ils ont appris le français rapidement grâce à leur professeur. (They learned French quickly thanks to their teacher.)

The 'because of' for negative or neutral causes (followed by a noun) – à cause de

In French, when you want to express a cause or reason, especially one that leads to a negative or neutral outcome, you'll often use the phrase à cause de. This translates directly to 'because of' or 'on account of' in English.

The crucial aspect of à cause de is its connotation. It's predominantly used for situations where the cause is seen as negative, undesirable, or at least not positive. Think of it when something bad happened, or when you want to assign blame or an inconvenient reason.

It's vital to differentiate à cause de from grâce à. While both mean 'thanks to' or 'because of', grâce à is reserved for positive causes and outcomes (e.g., 'thanks to your help'). À cause de is its counterpart for negative or neutral contexts, never for expressing gratitude or positive reasons.

Grammatically, à cause de is always followed by a noun or a stressed pronoun (e.g., moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles). Remember the contractions: à cause du (de + le), à cause de la (de + la), à cause de l' (de + l'), and à cause des (de + les). For example, à cause du bruit (because of the noise), à cause de la pluie (because of the rain).

To summarize, use à cause de when the 'because of' implies a negative consequence, a problem, or simply a non-positive reason. Avoid using it for positive events where grâce à would be appropriate. Mastering this distinction is key to sounding natural in French.

💡 * Il est en retard à cause du trafic. (He is late because of the traffic.)

Nous avons annulé le pique-nique à cause de la pluie. (We cancelled the picnic because of the rain.)

Elle a mal à la tête à cause de lui. (She has a headache because of him.)

Le match a été reporté à cause des mauvaises conditions météorologiques. (The match was postponed because of the bad weather conditions.)

J'ai échoué à mon examen à cause de mon manque de préparation. (I failed my exam because of my lack of preparation.)

The formal 'due to' or 'on account of' – en raison de

The phrase en raison de translates to “due to,” “on account of,” or “because of” in English. It is a formal expression used to indicate the cause or reason for something.

Unlike more common causal conjunctions like parce que or à cause de, en raison de is typically employed in official, administrative, or written contexts. It lends a more sophisticated and objective tone to the explanation of a cause.

This phrase is invariable, meaning it doesn't change based on gender or number. It is always followed by a noun or a nominalized phrase, forming the structure: en raison de + [noun].

💡 * En raison de la pluie, le match a été annulé. (Due to the rain, the match was cancelled.)

Les bureaux seront fermés en raison d'un jour férié. (The offices will be closed on account of a public holiday.)

Le projet a été retardé en raison de difficultés techniques imprévues. (The project was delayed due to unforeseen technical difficulties.)

En raison de son expertise, elle a été nommée directrice. (On account of her expertise, she was appointed director.)

The 'given that' for a known fact – étant donné que

The 'given that' for a known fact – étant donné que

The French expression étant donné que translates directly to 'given that' or 'seeing that'. It's used to introduce a known fact or a premise that explains a subsequent event or conclusion.

Crucially, étant donné que is always followed by the indicative mood, as it introduces a statement considered a known or established fact, not a hypothetical or uncertain one.

While similar to puisque (since), étant donné que often carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone, highlighting the premise as a strong justification for what follows.

💡 * Étant donné que le magasin est fermé, nous ne pouvons pas acheter de pain. (Given that the store is closed, we cannot buy bread.)

Étant donné que tu es fatigué, je peux conduire. (Given that you are tired, I can drive.)

Étant donné que la météo est mauvaise, le vol a été annulé. (Given that the weather is bad, the flight has been cancelled.)

Étant donné que les résultats sont connus, nous pouvons prendre une décision. (Given that the results are known, we can make a decision.)

The formal 'due to the fact that' – du fait que

The French equivalent for 'due to the fact that' is du fait que. This phrase is used to introduce a cause or reason, much like 'because' or 'given that', but with a more formal tone.

It is important to note that du fait que is a formal expression, commonly found in written documents, administrative contexts, or formal speeches. Crucially, the verb following du fait que must always be in the subjunctive mood.

The structure is straightforward: du fait que + subject + verb in the subjunctive mood. This construction emphasizes the factual basis of the reason being stated.

While precise, du fait que is less common in everyday spoken French. For more casual contexts, you might prefer parce que (because), étant donné que (given that), or puisque (since).

To illustrate the subjunctive requirement, consider: L'événement a été annulé du fait qu'il y ait eu un problème technique. (The event was cancelled due to the fact that there was a technical problem.) Notice the use of ait eu (subjunctive past) instead of y a eu (indicative past).

💡 *L'événement a été annulé du fait qu'il y ait eu un problème technique. (The event was cancelled due to the fact that there was a technical problem.)
*Le projet a été retardé du fait que les fonds n'aient pas été approuvés à temps. (The project was delayed due to the fact that the funds were not approved on time.)
*Elle a dû refuser l'offre du fait qu'elle ne puisse pas déménager. (She had to refuse the offer due to the fact that she cannot move.)
*Nous avons reporté la réunion du fait que le directeur soit absent. (We postponed the meeting due to the fact that the director is absent.)

Are there other ways to say 'because' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'because' in French, covering parce que, car, puisque, comme, and à cause de. However, the French language is rich with expressions for causality, offering a range of options from formal to informal, and specific to certain contexts.

If you're eager to explore even more nuanced or less common alternatives, you can do an online search for 'autres façons de dire parce que' or 'synonymes de parce que' to discover additional expressions for cause and effect.

You might uncover some interesting synonyms or more formal constructs. Remember, the key is always to check a word's precise definition and observe its usage in various contexts before you confidently integrate it into your own French.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading books, watching films, or listening to podcasts — pay close attention to how native speakers express reasons and explanations. This active observation is invaluable for natural language acquisition.

For a deeper linguistic dive into the subtleties of parce que and its counterparts, or to discover more advanced expressions of cause, a comprehensive dictionary like WordReference (specifically entries for parce que or car) can be an excellent starting point.

I hope this article has illuminated the various ways to say 'because' in French and boosted your confidence in using them. Mastering these causal connectors will undoubtedly have a significant positive effect on your French fluency and expression!

9 ways to say "because" in French