Meaning
ので is a conjunction particle that indicates cause, reason, or basis for an action or statement. Unlike から, which expresses subjective judgment and personal feelings, ので conveys objective reasons and facts. ので is more formal and polite than から, making it ideal for apologies, explanations, and formal writing. In many cases, ので and から are interchangeable, but ので is preferred when stating factual, proper reasons.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词普通形 | 動詞（普通形）ので |
| い形容词普通形 | い形容詞（普通形）ので |
| な形容词 | な形容詞＋な＋ので |
| 名词 | 名詞＋な＋ので |
Examples
-
今朝 電車が 遅れたので、学校に 遅刻しました。
Because the train was late this morning, I was late to school. -
明日 仕事が 早いので、今晩 早く 寝るね。
Since I have to work early tomorrow, I'll go to bed early tonight. -
ここは 静かなので、引越ししたいと 思います。
Because this place is quiet, I want to move here. -
もう 夏なので、海に 行きましょう。
Since it's already summer, let's go to the beach.
Summary
- ので expresses objective, factual reasons (not subjective judgments like から)
- ので is more formal and polite than から, commonly used for apologies and formal explanations
- Attach ので to verb/い-adjective plain form; な-adjective and nouns take な + ので