ので (node) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Because

ので (node) is a particle indicating the reason or cause of an action.

ので is similar to the particle から: they are both used to connect two sentences to indicate that given that or because of what was said in the first sentence, then it happens what is stated in the second.

In this post we learn more about the meaning of ので, how it is formed, and when ので is used through real example sentences.

How to use the particle ので

The basic formula that explains the meaning of ので is as follows:

ので follows the sentence expressing the reason, and is followed by the sentence expressing the result.

ので can be used with verbs, adjectives, and nouns. When applied to an adjective in な or noun, add な before ので:

Originally, ので was the て form of the expression のだ.

How and when to use ので

As we have seen, ので is used to connect two sentences: the first indicates the reason or cause, while the second with the use of ので indicates the result.

Let's analyze this example sentence:

• Reason: the first part of the sentence indicates the reason, in this case since (today) is Sunday
• ので: Particle that connects the reason to the result
• Result: the second part indicates what happens as a result of the reason expressed in the first part, in this example it is (a day of) rest

んで - Colloquial form

ので is sometimes shortened to んで.

んで is more colloquial than ので and is therefore used in less formal contexts.

Difference between ので and から

We can see how the meaning of ので is very similar to the particle から: both have the meaning of since, to indicate the cause or reason for something.

However, there are differences between ので and から.

Unlike から, ので is used to express the reason for a circumstance when you are not in direct control of the consequences or causes of the action.

For this reason, ので has a more objective connotation than から.

This makes ので weaker in emphasis, which is why you don't use ので with imperative sentences.

Also, ので is used in more formal contexts than から.

It is also possible to use the polite form ます of the preceding verb with the particle ので (unlike other expressions)

Finally, while から places more emphasis on the reason (the first sentence), ので instead places more emphasis on the result (the second sentence).

You could use ので for example in a presentation or formal document. Also for this reason ので has a much more objective connotation.

Let's see a simple example:

In this simple exclamation it would be inappropriate to use ので, which expresses a more formal meaning, not suited for this kind of expressions.

Example sentences with ので