Easy Korean - Level 3, Unit 30: Because of / Due to (-기 때문에 / 때문에)

In Unit 7, we learned how to say "because" using -아/어/여서. Now we will learn another way to say "because," which is slightly more formal and places a stronger emphasis on the reason or the cause.

The word is 때문에 (ttae-mu-ne).

1. Noun + 때문에 (Because of [Noun])

When you want to say "because of a noun," you simply place 때문에 right after the noun (with a space).

• 비 (rain) -> 비 때문에 (because of the rain)
• 일 (work) -> 일 때문에 (because of work)

• 너 (you) -> 너 때문에 (because of you)

• 감기 때문에 학교에 안 갔어요. (I didn't go to school because of a cold.)

2. Verb/Adjective + -기 때문에 (Because [verb/adj])

When you want to use a verb or adjective, you must change it into a noun first by attaching -기 to the stem, and then add 때문에.

• 가다 (to go) -> 가기 때문에 (because I go)
• 바쁘다 (busy) -> 바쁘기 때문에 (because I am busy)

• 덥다 (hot) -> 덥기 때문에 (because it is hot)

• 요즘 너무 바쁘기 때문에 만날 수 없어요. (I cannot meet you because I am too busy these days.)

Tense with -기 때문에

Unlike -아/어서, you CAN use past and future tense markers before -기 때문에!

• 어제 비가 왔기 때문에... (Because it rained yesterday...) (Remember: you could NEVER say 비가 왔어서. You had to say 비가 와서. But with 때문에, you can use the past tense: 왔기 때문에).
• 내일은 바쁠 것이기 때문에... (Because I will be busy tomorrow...)

-아/어서 vs. -기 때문에

• -아/어서: Natural, conversational. Cannot be used with past/future tense before it. Cannot be used with imperatives (Let's/Please).
• -기 때문에: Stronger reason, often used in writing, news, or formal speech. Can be used with past tense. (Still cannot be used with imperatives).