Spanish Connectors of Cause, Consequence and Purpose

By B2 the individual sentences are no longer the problem. The problem is joining them: showing that one thing caused another, that a result followed, or that you did something on purpose. Spanish has a full toolbox for this, and picking the right connector broadcasts both your meaning and how formal you are being. Here is the whole family, sorted by job.

Cause: why it happened

The default is porque (because), which follows the main clause and takes the indicative:

• No salimos porque llovía. (We did not go out because it was raining.)

For a slightly more written feel, reach for ya que, puesto que or dado que (since, given that). They mean roughly the same as porque but can also open the sentence:

• Ya que estas aquí, ayudame. (Since you are here, help me.)
• Puesto que no hay tiempo, empezamos ya. (Given there is no time, we start now.)

The one to watch is como. When it means cause, it must go at the front, stating the reason before the result:

• Como llovía, no salimos. (As it was raining, we did not go out.)

You cannot move como to the middle with that meaning; there it would mean "how" or "like".

For cause through a noun, use a causa de or debido a (because of, owing to), and gracias a for a positive cause (thanks to):

• Se cancelo debido a la tormenta. (It was cancelled owing to the storm.)
• Aprobe gracias a ti. (I passed thanks to you.)

Por also marks a cause or motive, with a noun or an infinitive:

• Lo despidieron por llegar tarde. (They sacked him for arriving late.)

Consequence: what followed

The everyday spoken choice is así que (so), plus the indicative:

• Llegue tarde, así que perdí el tren. (I arrived late, so I missed the train.)

Por eso (that is why) is neutral and works almost anywhere. For a formal register, use por lo tanto, por consiguiente or en consecuencia (therefore, consequently), the connectors of essays and reports:

• El presupuesto es limitado; por lo tanto, hay que priorizar. (The budget is limited; therefore, we must prioritise.)

De modo que and de manera que (so that, in such a way that) express result with the indicative. The odd one out is de ahi que (hence), which takes the subjunctive:

• Estaba enfermo; de ahi que no venga. (He was ill; hence he is not coming.)

Result can also be built with tan or tanto... que (so... that):

• Estaba tan cansado que me dormi. (I was so tired that I fell asleep.)

Purpose: what it was for

Purpose points at a goal that has not yet happened, so it usually needs the subjunctive. Use para que and, more formally, a fin de que or con el fin de que, all with the subjunctive:

• Te lo explico para que lo entiendas. (I am explaining it so that you understand it.)
• Se reunieron a fin de que todos opinaran. (They met so that everyone could give an opinion.)

When there is only one subject, drop the que and use an infinitive with para or con el fin de:

• Estudio para aprobar. (I study in order to pass.)

See the subjunctive in adverbial clauses for the full picture of when the mood switches on.

Reformulation: saying it again

To restate or clarify, Spanish uses es decir, o sea and esto es (that is to say), en otras palabras (in other words), and por ejemplo (for example):

• Llego tarde, es decir, otra vez. (He is arriving late, that is to say, again.)
• Es complicado, o sea, no lo entiendo. (It is complicated, in other words, I do not get it.)

O sea is casual and everywhere in speech; es decir is safe in any register.

The connectors at a glance

The mood rule in one line

Cause and result state facts, so they take the indicative: porque, ya que, como, por eso, así que, por lo tanto. Purpose points at an unrealised goal, so it takes the subjunctive: para que, a fin de que, con el fin de que. The single exception to memorise is de ahi que, a consequence connector that behaves like a purpose one and demands the subjunctive: de ahi que no venga.

The register spread

The meaning barely changes, but the tone does. In casual speech you say así que and o sea; in an essay you write por consiguiente and es decir. Match the connector to the room and you will sound like someone who has read a few Spanish books, not just a phrasebook.

See also

• The subjunctive in adverbial clauses - the mood rule behind para que, a fin de que and de ahi que.
• Por and para - the cause-versus-purpose split that runs through this whole topic.
• The Spanish grammar cheatsheet collects these connectors on one card, sorted by function.