Simplified Explanation for “As/Because/Since/For” in Arabic and English
English:
The following words introduce reason clauses in English:
• As
• Because
• Since
• Seeing that (in view of the fact that…)
• Now that (it being the case that…)
• For
• Inasmuch as
These can either precede or follow the main clause. However, for usually follows the main clause.
Arabic:
The following are common ways to introduce reason clauses in Arabic:
1. إِنَّ
Example:
قَرَّرَتِ الْحُكُومَةُ إِنْهَاءَ سِيَاسَتِهَا عَلَى الشَّكْلِ الْمُتَّبَعِ إِذْ أَنَّ تَأْثِيرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمِنْطَقَةِ كَانَ خَطِيرًا جِدًّا.
Translation:
“The government decided to abandon its policy because the impact on the region was going to be very dangerous.”
2. بِسَبَبِ + Noun/Pronoun
• Example 1:
تَأَخَّرْتُ عَنِ الِامْتِحَانِ بِسَبَبِ الْمَطَرِ.
Translation:
“I was late to the exam because of the rain.”
• Example 2:
أَصْبَحَ التَّنَقُّلُ بَيْنَ الدُّوَلِ سَهْلًا بِسَبَبِ تَوَفُّرِ وَسَائِلِ النَّقْلِ.
Translation:
“Moving between countries has become easy because of the availability of means of transport.”
3. لِأَنَّ + Sentence
Example:
لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ السَّفَرَ الْيَوْمَ لِأَنَّ الْجَوَّ بَارِدٌ.
Translation:
“I can’t travel today because of the cold weather.”
4. إِذْ / إِذَا + Pronoun/Noun
• Example:
لَنْ يُسَافِرَ غَدًا إِذْ إِنَّهُ مَرِيضٌ.
Translation:
“He won’t travel tomorrow because he’s ill.”
5. بِمَا أَنَّ + Noun/Pronoun
Example:
بِمَا أَنَّ الطَّقْسَ جَمِيلٌ، سَأَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْحَدِيقَةِ.
Translation:
“As the weather is nice, I’ll go to the park.”
6. عَلَى ذَلِكَ + Result
Example:
تَأَخَّرَ الْقِطَارُ، وَعَلَى ذَلِكَ، اِضْطُرِرْتُ لِرُكُوبِ الْحَافِلَةِ.
Translation:
“The train was late, and because of this, I had to take the bus.”
7. نَظَرًا لِـ / نَظَرًا إِلَى + Reason
Example:
نَظَرًا لِسُوءِ الْأَحْوَالِ الْجَوِّيَّةِ، قَرَّرْتُ تَأْجِيلَ سَفَرِي.
Translation:
“Due to bad weather conditions, I decided to postpone my trip.”