Question
of the Week
Vol. 35
Q. What is the difference between "kara" and "node"?
A. The conjunction "kara （から）" and "node （ので）" both express reason or cause. While "kara" is used for reason or cause of a speaker's volition, opinion and so on, "node" is for existing (existed) action or situation.
| Kino wa samukatta node uchi ni imashita. 昨日は寒かったのでうちにいました。 |
Since it was cold, I stayed home. |
| Atama ga itakatta node gakkou o yasunda. 頭が痛かったので学校を休んだ。 |
Since I had a headache, I didn't go to school. |
| Totemo shizukadatta node yoku nemuremashita. とても静かだったのでよく眠れました。 |
Since it was very quiet, I could sleep well. |
| Yoku benkyou shita node shiken ni goukaku shita. よく勉強したので試験に合格した。 |
Since I studied hard, I passed the examination. |
The sentences expressing personal judgment such as speculation, suggestion, intention, request, opinion, volition, invitation, and so forth must take "kara （から）."
| Kono kawa wa kitanai kara tabun sakana wa inai deshou. この川は汚いから たぶん魚はいないでしょう。 |
Since this river is polluted, there is probably no fish. |
| Mou osoi kara
hayaku nenasai. もう遅いから早く寝なさい。 |
Go to bed, since it is getting late. |
| Kono hon wa totemo omoshiroi kara yonda hou ga ii. この本はとても面白いから 読んだほうがいい。 |
This book is very interesting, so you'd better to read it. |
| Kono kuruma wa furui kara atarashi kuruma ga hoshii desu. この車は古いから 新しい車が欲しいです。 |
This car is old, so I want a new car. |
| Samui kara mado
o shimete kudasai. 寒いから窓を閉めてください。 |
It is cold, so please close the window. |
While "kara （から）" focuses more on the reason, "node （ので）" focuses more on the resulting effect. This is why the "kara" clause is used independently more often than "node".
| Doushite okureta no. Densha ni nori okureta kara. どうして遅れたの。 電車に乗り遅れたから。 |
Why were you late? Because I missed the train. |
"Kara （から）" can be immediately followed by "~ desu （～です）."
| Atama ga itakatta kara desu. 頭が痛かったからです。 |
Because I had a headache. |
| Atama ga itakatta node desu. 頭が痛かったのでです。 |
Wrong |
