çünkü and bu yüzden: because versus therefore

The idea

Çünkü gives the reason: it opens the clause that answers "why?", usually after the main clause: Sinemaya gitmedik, çünkü bilet yoktu. Bu yüzden gives the result: it opens the clause that follows from what was just said: Yağmur yağıyor, bu yüzden bugün dışarı çıkmıyoruz. The verb in such a clause keeps its usual place and ending. In speech o yüzden is often heard instead of bu yüzden.

Examples

• Yağmur yağıyor, bu yüzden bugün dışarı çıkmıyoruz.It is raining, so we are not going out today.Bu yüzden opens the result and comes after the reason; it means “for this reason”. It is written as two words.
• Ayşe bugün gelmedi, çünkü hastaydı.Ayşe did not come today because she was ill.Çünkü opens the reason. The clause after it is an ordinary sentence, with its verb in the usual place.
• Sinemaya gitmedik, çünkü bilet yoktu.We did not go to the cinema because there were no tickets.
• Neden yürüyorsun? Çünkü otobüs gelmedi.Why are you walking? Because the bus did not come.Çünkü can open an answer to neden: the question already contains the result, so the answer gives only the reason.
• Telefonum kapalı, bu yüzden mesajları görmüyorum.My phone is off, so I am not seeing the messages.
• Mesajları görmüyorum, çünkü telefonum kapalı.I am not seeing the messages because my phone is off.These are the same two facts as in the previous example, in the opposite order: the reason now comes second, so it takes çünkü.
• Öğrenciler çok çalıştı, bu yüzden sınavı geçti.The students worked hard, so they passed the exam.
• Hava soğuk, o yüzden ceketimi giyiyorum.It is cold, so I am putting on my jacket.O yüzden means the same as bu yüzden here and is very common in speech.
• Dün çok kar yağdı. Bu yüzden okul kapalıydı.It snowed a lot yesterday. That is why the school was closed.Bu yüzden can also open a new sentence after a full stop; it is then written with a capital: Bu yüzden.

Watch out

Do not swap them: the word belongs to the clause it introduces. Yorgunum, çünkü eve gidiyorum claims that going home makes you tired. Do not use both words for one link either: one is enough. And bu yüzden is written as two words.

Try it yourself

1. Fill the gap: I have no money, so I am not taking a taxi.

   Show answer or example answer

   bu yüzden / o yüzden

   bu yüzden: "Param yok" is the reason and the taxi is the result, so the second clause is opened by bu yüzden (or o yüzden).

2. Fill the gap: The children are tired because they went to bed late.

   Show answer or example answer

   çünkü

   çünkü: being tired is the result and going to bed late is the reason; the clause that gives the reason takes çünkü.

3. Fill the gap: I have an exam tomorrow, so I am studying today.

   Show answer or example answer

   bu yüzden / o yüzden

   bu yüzden: the exam is the reason and the studying is the result; the link stands before the result. O yüzden works too.

4. Fill the gap: Why aren't you drinking tea? Because it is very hot.

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   çünkü

   çünkü: the question neden asks for a reason, and "it is very hot" is that reason, so the answer begins with çünkü.

Use it today

Write three pairs of sentences about your day: a fact with its reason and çünkü, then the same two facts in the opposite order with bu yüzden.