French · Greetings & Essentials
"Because" in French: parce que
parce que
Because in French is parce que. Je reste parce que je suis fatigué means I'm staying because I'm tired. Car also means because, more written/formal.
Canceling
Je ne viens pas parce que je suis malade.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce parce que
Say it
parss kuh
/paʁs.kə/
Parce que: parss kuh. Often blends to parskuh in fast speech.
"Because" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| parce que | because Default spoken reason. | Default spoken reason. |
| parce qu' | because (before vowel) Elision: parce qu'il. | Elision: parce qu'il. |
| car | because / for More formal/written. | More formal/written. |
| à cause de | because of Followed by a noun. | Followed by a noun. |
How to use parce que in real life
- 1Canceling
Je ne viens pas parce que je suis malade.
I'm not coming because I'm sick.
Parce que + clause.
- 2Explaining
On prend le métro parce que c'est plus rapide.
We're taking the metro because it's faster.
Parce que.
- 3Before a vowel
Il rentre tôt parce qu'il travaille demain.
He's going home early because he works tomorrow.
Parce qu'il.
Mistakes English speakers make with parce que
Incorrect: Parce que de la pluie.
Correct: À cause de la pluie. / Parce qu'il pleut.
Parce que needs a clause; à cause de takes a noun.
Incorrect: Je reste because il pleut.
Correct: Je reste parce qu'il pleut.
Use parce que, not English because.
Good to know
Parce que is the everyday choice. Kids get told parce que c'est comme ça. Car shows up in essays and news more than in café chat.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Skipping a party
ChatPal
Tu ne viens pas parce que tu es fatigué ?
You're not coming because you're tired?
You
Oui, parce que j'ai mal dormi.
Yes, because I slept badly.
ChatPal
OK, repose-toi alors.
OK, rest then.
You
Merci de comprendre.
Thanks for understanding.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Because" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Because" in French
How do you say because in French?
Parce que.
Parce que vs à cause de?
Parce que + clause; à cause de + noun.
What is car?
A more formal/written because.
How do you pronounce parce que?
parss kuh.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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