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 |
