Korean Conversation · Level 218
14 words
Korean word
때문에
Pronunciation
Romanizationttaemune
Meaning
- particlebecause of
Example
교통 때문에 회의에 늦었어.kyo tong ttae mu ne hoe ui e neu seo sseo
I was late for the meeting because of traffic.
More examples
시험 때문에 요즘 밤늦게까지 공부하고 있어.si heom ttae mu ne yo jeum pam neut kke kka ji kong bu ha go i sseo
Lately, I have been studying until late at night because of the exam.
Core concept
The noun phrase before this particle supplies the reason for an event or situation.
Common phrases
시험 때문에si heom ttae mu ne
because of the exam
시간 때문에si gan ttae mu ne
because of time
돈 때문에ton ttae mu ne
because of money
Similar words
탓에tase: Marks a cause as responsible for an unfavorable result or situation.
로 인해ro inhae: Links a stated cause to its resulting event or condition in formal language.
Definition in Korean
명사 뒤에 붙어 어떤 일의 원인이나 이유를 가리키는 조사로, 회화에서 원인 설명에 자주 쓰인다.myeong sa twi e pu teo eo tteon i rui wo ni ni na i yu reul ka ri ki neun cho sa ro hoe hwa e seo wo nin seol myeong e cha ju sseu in da
Word origin
The exact historical origin of this particle is uncertain, so it is best learned as a fixed marker linking a noun phrase that gives a cause to the rest of a sentence.
Usage tips
- Because it is common in spoken explanations, recognizing 때문에 (ttaemune, "because of") helps learners follow quick answers to why questions.