Korean · Greetings & Essentials
"Because" in Korean: 왜냐하면
왜냐하면waenyahamyeon
Because in Korean is 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon). 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
Because: starting the exchange
못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.mot gayo. waenyahamyeon iri itgi ttaemunieyo.
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How to pronounce 왜냐하면
Say it
waenyahamyeon
/wɛnjahamjʌn/
왜냐하면 is read waenyahamyeon. In 왜냐하면 시간이 없어요, read the full phrase as waenyahamyeon sigani eopseoyo.
"Because" in Korean: quick reference
| Korean | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 왜냐하면waenyahamyeon | Because The inventory form for because. | The inventory form for because. |
| 왜냐하면 시간이 없어요waenyahamyeon sigani eopseoyo | because I have no time 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면. | 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면. |
How to use 왜냐하면 in real life
- 1Because: starting the exchange
못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.
mot gayo. waenyahamyeon iri itgi ttaemunieyo.
I cannot go because I have work.
왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
- 2Because: adding useful context
집에 있어요. 왜냐하면 비가 오기 때문이에요.
jibe isseoyo. waenyahamyeon biga ogi ttaemunieyo.
I am at home because it is raining.
This sentence places 왜냐하면 in a complete exchange.
- 3Because: a different conversation
늦었어요. 왜냐하면 길이 막혔기 때문이에요.
neujeosseoyo. waenyahamyeon giri makyeotgi ttaemunieyo.
I was late because traffic was heavy.
This sentence places 왜냐하면 in a complete exchange.
Mistakes English speakers make with 왜냐하면
Incorrect: 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문예요.
Correct: 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.
When practicing because, after 문, use 문이에요; the noun’s final sound determines whether 이에요 or 예요 follows.
Incorrect: 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이예요.
Correct: 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.
When practicing because, the standard copula spelling after a consonant is 이에요, not 이예요. The complete correction is 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.
Good to know
왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Tutor-led greetings and essentials study exercise: two sentences with 왜냐하면
Partner
이 표현을 사용해서 한 문장 말해 볼까요?
i pyohyeoneul sayonghaeseo han munjang malhae bolkkayo?
Shall we say a sentence using this expression?
You
못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요.
mot gayo. waenyahamyeon iri itgi ttaemunieyo.
I cannot go because I have work.
Partner
좋아요. 다른 문장으로도 연습해 볼까요?
joayo. dareun munjangeurodo yeonseupae bolkkayo?
Good. Shall we practice with another sentence too?
You
집에 있어요. 왜냐하면 비가 오기 때문이에요.
jibe isseoyo. waenyahamyeon biga ogi ttaemunieyo.
I am at home because it is raining.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Because" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Because" in Korean
What does 왜냐하면 mean?
Because in Korean is 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon). 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
When should I say 왜냐하면 시간이 없어요?
왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
How does 왜냐하면 시간이 없어요 differ from the basic expression?
왜냐하면 시간이 없어요 means “because I have no time”. 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
Can I use 왜냐하면 in a full sentence?
못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 있기 때문이에요. means “I cannot go because I have work.” 왜냐하면 introduces a reason, often ending with -기 때문이에요; shorter conversation can use -아서/어서 without 왜냐하면.
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