Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 42

CEFR B1-B2

5 min read

Test yourself (25 questions)

Therefore, So, Because in Spanish: por lo tanto, así que

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

Spanish joins a reason, a result and an aim with three families of connectors, and each family has its own mood:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  • . - We didn't go out because it was raining.
  • , . - It was raining, so we didn't go out.
  • . - I'm ringing you so that you help me.

Connectors at a glance

The whole page on one screen. Each family keeps its own box colour all the way down.

cause (why)result (so)purpose (what for)What do the colours mean?
JobSpanishEnglish
cause .I'm staying in because it's raining.
cause , .As it's raining, I'm staying in.
cause , .Since you' here, help me.
cause .I'm staying in because of the rain.
result, .It's raining, so I'm staying in.
result, .It's raining; that's why I'm in.
result ; , .No money; therefore, I'm waiting.
purpose .I'm going out to buy bread.
purpose .I'm ringing so that you come.

Cause and result state facts, so the verb after them is indicative ( , below, is the one exception). Purpose points at something that has not happened yet, so takes the subjunctive: , never " ".

Four panels: a man with a moustache in sunglasses holds an ice cream under a grinning sun (sunny); a woman with a bob and a bow stands under a red umbrella in the rain by a puddle (rainy); a girl with pigtails wears a woolly hat and a scarf in the snow (snowy); a woman holds her head as the wind blows her long hair sideways and leaves fly past (windy).
  1. .
  2. , .
  3. , .

Come un helado porque hace sol: he is eating an ice cream because it is sunny. Llueve, así que lleva paraguas: it is raining, so she has an umbrella. Hace frío, por eso lleva bufanda: it is cold, which is why she is wearing a scarf.

Cause: porque, como, ya que

cause (why)the subjunctive endingWhat do the colours mean?

All of them take the indicative when they give the real reason. What differs is where they sit:

ConnectorWhere it goesExample
after the result .
at the front only , .
either end , .
either end , .
either end , .
  • , . - We' not going, since there's no car.
  • , . - Given that there's no time, we'll start.

, and sound more careful than , and is mostly written.

The one with a rule is . As "because" it must open the sentence, with the reason first. Put the reason second and you need :

First
Then
,
.
.
  • , . - As it was raining, we didn't go out.
  • . - We didn't go out because it was raining.

After the main clause, reads as "how" or "like", so " " is not standard Spanish.

One twist: a denied reason, no , takes the subjunctive, because you are saying it is not the cause:

  • , . - I do it, but not because I like it.

Because of: por, a causa de, gracias a

cause (why)What do the colours mean?

needs a whole clause with a verb. Before a noun, "because of" is , a or a:

Before a nounSpanishEnglish
.We stayed in because of the rain.
a .They closed because of the snow.
a .The train's late owing to snow.
a .I passed thanks to you.

a is for a cause you are glad of. also takes an infinitive, for what someone did:

  • . - They sacked him for arriving late.

Result: así que, por eso, por lo tanto

result (so)What do the colours mean?

The result family says what followed. All of it takes the indicative; the choice is how formal you want to sound:

How formal is your so?
ChatReport
  1. así queso
  2. por esothat’s why
  3. por lo tantotherefore
  4. por consiguienteconsequently
ConnectorSpanishEnglish
, .I was late, so I missed the train.
, .I was tired; that's why I left.
; , .No money; therefore, we wait.
consiguiente ; consiguiente, .Nobody came; consequently, it was cancelled.

is everywhere in speech and fine in an email; in an essay, reads better. sits in the middle and works almost anywhere.

Result can also be built into the sentence with ... (so... that):

  • . - I was so tired that I fell asleep.

Hence: de ahí que + subjunctive

result (so)the subjunctive endingWhat do the colours mean?

One result connector breaks the indicative rule. (hence, which is why) takes the subjunctive in standard Spanish, and it belongs to formal Spanish:

  • ; . - He's ill; hence he isn't coming.
  • ; . - He doesn't sleep well; hence he's tired.

Purpose: para and para que

purpose (what for)the subjunctive endingWhat do the colours mean?

Purpose says what something is for. The question is who does the second action:

Who does it?SpanishEnglish
the same person .I study (in order) to pass.
someone else .I'm explaining so you get it.
someone else .I'm ringing so you'll help me.
.I repeat it so they remember it.

The same person: + infinitive. Someone else: + subjunctive, always, because the aim has not happened yet. After a past verb, usually takes the past subjunctive:

  • . - I explained it so that you would understand it.

and do both jobs, and the mood tells you which. With the indicative they give a result; with the subjunctive, an aim:

  • , . - He/she wasn't answering, so I left.
  • . - Speak slowly so that they understand you.

Saying it another way: es decir, o sea

Not cause or result, but they travel with them: (that is to say) works in any register, (I mean) is spoken.

  • , , . - He/she arrives on Monday, that is, in three days.
  • , , . - It's complicated, I mean, I don't get it.

Mistakes English speakers make

cause (why)result (so)purpose (what for)the subjunctive endingWhat do the colours mean?
WrongRightWhy
Me . , .causal goes first
because of + noun
takes the subjunctive
yo . .I study, I pass: infinitive
takes the subjunctive
¿ no ?¿ ?asking why: , two words

The last one is spelling: (two words, accent) asks why, (one word) answers it.

What to do next

  1. Do the story and the sort below.
  2. Then the subjunctive in adverbial clauses for and its relatives.
  3. And connectors of addition and contrast: , , .

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/9

What does each connector bring in: a cause, a result or an aim?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the connector that fits each gap.

A wet Saturday

llovía, no fuimos a la playa. Nos quedamos en casa mi hermano estaba enfermo. Mi madre hizo sopa se pusiera mejor. Por la tarde dejó de llover, salimos a dar un paseo. Volvimos a las seis el frío.

Gap 1 of 5

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/5

Choose the connector that fits.

  1. Estudio aprobar el examen. (I study to pass)

  2. Te lo explico lo entiendas.

  3. estás aquí, ayúdame.

  4. Cancelaron el partido la nieve.

  5. Aprobé ti. (thanks to you)

Put the words in order

0/2

Put the words in order.

  1. As it was raining, we didn't go out.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. I study to pass the exam.

    Your sentence is empty.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say therefore in Spanish?
: ; , (there is no money; therefore, we are waiting). consiguiente and are more formal still. In conversation Spanish says (so) or (that is why): , (I arrived late, so I missed the train). All of them take the indicative.
When does because in Spanish?
Only at the front of the sentence, before the result: , (as it was raining, we did not go out). After the main clause, does not mean because in standard Spanish, so put the reason second with instead: .
How do you say because of in Spanish?
Not , which needs a whole clause with a verb. Before a noun use , a or a: , or a (we did not go out because of the rain). For a good cause, use a: a (I passed thanks to you).
Which cause and purpose connectors need the subjunctive?
The purpose ones: and a always take it, because the aim has not happened yet. (I am ringing you so that you help me). So, in standard Spanish, does (hence): ; (he is ill; hence he is not coming). , , , , and state facts and take the indicative.
What is the difference between and ?
Who does the second action. When it is the same person, use + infinitive: (I study to pass). When it is someone else, use + subjunctive: (I am explaining it so that you understand it).