때문에 / -기 때문에
Used to express a clear, objective cause and effect. It is stronger and more formal than '-아/어서'.
Summary
Equivalent
Because of / Because
Also: -아/어서 (Because)
Example
The roads are very congested because of the snow.
눈 때문에 길이 많이 막힙니다.
Grammar rules
- Attach '때문에' directly to nouns (e.g., 비 때문에 = because of the rain).
- Attach '기 때문에' to verb or adjective stems.
- Tense markers can be used before '기 때문에'.
- Like '-아/어서', it CANNOT be used with commands, suggestions, or propositive endings. Use '-(으)니까' for those.
일이 많기 때문에 오늘은 야근해야 해요. (Because there is a lot of work, I have to work overtime today.)
Patterns
Nouns
N/A · Noun + 때문에
All Verbs/Adjectives
Present/Past · Stem + 기 때문에
Example sentences
The roads are very congested because of the snow.
눈 때문에 길이 많이 막힙니다.
Because I am a foreigner, I cannot speak Korean well.
외국인이기 때문에 한국어를 잘 못해요.
Because it's raining a lot, we cannot go hiking.
비가 많이 오기 때문에 등산을 갈 수 없어요.
Conversation
A: Why were you late?
왜 지각했어요?
B: I was late because the traffic was blocked due to a traffic accident.
교통사고 때문에 길이 막혀서 늦었어요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct formal objective reason expression.
Noun usage.
Verb usage.