These three expressions can explain why something happened, but they do not present the cause in the same light. You will choose a stance as well as the right construction.
The idea
Use dolayı after an ablative form to state a cause without itself praising or blaming it: yağmurdan dolayı. It can accompany good or bad results, including thanks in Desteğinizden dolayı size teşekkür ederiz. Use yüzünden for a cause viewed as unwelcome; use sayesinde to credit something helpful. With an ordinary noun, compare yağmur yüzünden and yağmur sayesinde. With a person, compare senin yüzünden and senin sayende: the personal form matters. These are usual attitudes, not absolute restrictions; sayesinde can convey blame sarcastically.
| Cause phrase | Usual stance | With a person |
|---|---|---|
| yağmurdan dolayı | Neutral cause | senden dolayı |
| yağmur yüzünden | Unwanted cause | senin yüzünden |
| yağmur sayesinde | Helpful cause | senin sayende |
Examples
- Yağmurdan dolayı maç ertelendi.The match was postponed due to the rain.
- Yağmur yüzünden maç ertelendi.The match was postponed because of the rain.
- Yağmur sayesinde bahçe sulandı.Thanks to the rain, the garden got watered.
- Desteğinizden dolayı size teşekkür ederiz.We thank you for your support.
- Senin sayende son otobüsü kaçırmadık.Thanks to you, we did not miss the last bus.
- Senin yüzünden son otobüsü kaçırdık.Because of you, we missed the last bus.
- Erken çıktığımızdan dolayı trafik başlamadan eve vardık.Because we left early, we got home before the traffic started.
- Senin sayende yine bütün dosyalar silindi!Thanks to you, all the files have been deleted again!This is sarcastic: losing all the files is unwelcome. The apparent thanks conveys a reproach.
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Watch out
Do not choose by whether the verb is negative. In Senin sayende son otobüsü kaçırmadık, not missing the bus is a good result. Conversely, yüzünden in a sincere thank-you can sound like an accusation. When replacing dolayı, also recheck the phrase: yağmurdan dolayı becomes yağmur yüzünden, not yağmurdan yüzünden.
Try it yourself
Complete with the full form of sis (fog). Yoğun ___ dolayı vapur seferi iptal edildi.
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sisten
sisten: the blank needs the whole word before dolayı. The last vowel is front i and final s is voiceless, giving -ten; sis itself stays unchanged.
Choose dolayı, yüzünden or sayesinde to highlight an unwanted cause. Yanlış adres ___ kurye başka binaya gitti.
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yüzünden
yüzünden: the wrong address sends the courier to the wrong building, so the speaker highlights an unwanted consequence. Dolayı would need yanlış adresten dolayı.
Choose dolayı, yüzünden or sayesinde to express sincere gratitude. Komşumuz ___ kayıp kediyi bulduk.
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sayesinde
sayesinde: finding the lost cat is welcome, and the speaker credits the neighbour. Komşumuz can directly precede this expression; no ablative is needed.
Adapt sayesinde to thank one person you address as sen. Senin ___ bu sorunu çözdük.
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sayende
sayende: the help comes from the person addressed as sen. Senin sayende credits that person for solving the problem; senin sayesinde mismatches the personal form.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete with the full form of sis (fog). Yoğun ___ dolayı vapur seferi iptal edildi.
Choose dolayı, yüzünden or sayesinde to highlight an unwanted cause. Yanlış adres ___ kurye başka binaya gitti.
Choose dolayı, yüzünden or sayesinde to express sincere gratitude. Komşumuz ___ kayıp kediyi bulduk.
Adapt sayesinde to thank one person you address as sen. Senin ___ bu sorunu çözdük.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Describe the same rainy day from a match organiser’s and a gardener’s viewpoint. Then write a sincere thank-you to a friend using sayende. Explain which result each speaker welcomes or dislikes.