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Explanation

Because V-ing.

기 때문에.

Start with “비가 오기 때문에 집에 있어요.” (Home because raining.). Say the whole sentence first, then identify exactly what -기 때문에 contributes before changing any other words.

Compare “바쁘기 때문에 못 가요.” with “비싸기 때문에 안 사요.”. Keep the function of -기 때문에 the same while noticing what changes around it; then rebuild one of the examples with vocabulary you already know.

Examples

비가 오기 때문에 집에 있어요.

Home because raining.

바쁘기 때문에 못 가요.

Can't go because busy.

비싸기 때문에 안 사요.

Don't buy because expensive.

Common mistakes

  • Do not choose -기 때문에 only because an English translation contains “because V”. Check the Korean function, attachment, and speech level in the full sentence.
  • Do not memorize -기 때문에 as an isolated ending. Mark the stem or phrase it attaches to in one example, then rebuild that example with new vocabulary.

How to practice

  1. Production check: say “비가 오기 때문에 집에 있어요.” naturally, then change one content word without changing the job -기 때문에 is doing.
  2. When a related pattern is listed below, compare both forms in the same situation instead of memorizing two English glosses separately.

Related

Core grammar mapMore grammar patternsParticle checker

Keep learning

-는데-잖아요밖에조차마저뿐이다아서/어서 vs (으)니까-고 있어요

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