Chinese for English speakers Sports · Lesson 0

Why...? Because ...

Chinese why/because — 为什么 (why) and 因为 (because) — for asking and explaining reasons.

Conversation

  1. Yennifer Yennifer

    明天你不工作吗？

    míng tiān nǐ bù gōng zuò ma?

    Aren't you working tomorrow?

    Tip: 明天 <míngtiān> = tomorrow 工作 <gōngzuò> = to work the concept of verbal tense does not exist in Chinese. So to distinguish "I did", "I am doing" and "I will do" you only need adverbs of time like "yesterday", "now", "next week"

  2. Kyle Kyle

    对，明天我不工作。

    duì, míng tiān wǒ bù gōng zuò.

    Yes, I'm not working tomorrow.

  3. Yennifer Yennifer

    为什么？

    wèi shén me?

    Why?

    Tip: 为什么 <wèishénme> = why?

  4. Kyle Kyle

    因为明天是星期天。

    yīn wèi míng tiān shì xīng qī tiān.

    Because it's Sunday tomorrow.

    Tip: 因为 <yīnwèi> = because 星期 <xīngqiī> = week 星期天<xīqiītiān> = Sunday

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you ask 'why?' in Chinese?

为什么 (wèi shénme) = 'why'. 你为什么不来? = 'why don't you come?'. Place 为什么 before the verb.

How do you say 'because' in Chinese?

因为 (yīn wèi). 因为...所以 = 'because ... therefore'. The classic pair.

What does 工作 mean?

'Work' (verb and noun). 我工作 = 'I work'. 我的工作 = 'my work/job'.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Chinese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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