Grammar
때문에
Meaning
Intermediatettaemune
Attaches to a noun to express the cause or reason for something, meaning 'because of ~.' It usually points to a factor with a negative or neutral effect on the result, rather than a positive one.
Form
Attaches directly to a noun: N + 때문에, with no change based on the final consonant. To use it with a verb or adjective clause instead of a noun, add the nominalizer -기 first: stem + -기 때문에 (e.g., 비가 왔기 때문에 = 'because it rained').
Examples
요즘 인터넷 쇼핑 때문에 전통시장이 힘듭니다.
These days, traditional markets are struggling because of online shopping.
From: Namdaemun Market, Korea's Historic Traditional Marketplace
폭우 때문에 도로가 통제되었습니다.
Roads were closed because of the heavy rain.
그 사람 때문에 회의가 늦게 시작됐어요.
The meeting started late because of that person.
환율 때문에 수입 물가가 올랐습니다.
Import prices rose because of the exchange rate.
Common mistakes & nuance
때문에 tends to carry blame — the N is usually why something went wrong or got harder. For a positive cause Korean prefers 덕분에 (thanks to N). Watch the shapes: a bare noun takes 때문에 directly, a clause needs -기 때문에, and the sentence-final form is -기 때문이다.
Similar grammar
- -덕분에
때문에 is neutral or often negative in nuance ('because of, due to'). 덕분에 specifically means 'thanks to' and is used for a positive cause.
- -기 때문이다
때문에 sits mid-sentence, linking the cause to the clause that follows. -기 때문이다 sits at the end of a sentence, stating the reason as the sentence's main point.