I want to show you how to use porque and how to use por causa de. Check out the examples below. What is the difference between the sentences with porque and the sentences with por causa de?

Example 1:

• É melhor levar um casaco com você porque está frio. = It’s better to bring a coat with you because it’s cold.
• É melhor levar um casaco com você por causa do frio. = It’s better to bring a coat with you because of the cold weather.

Tip: Learn how to use Trazer and Levar. Understand how we use the verbs To Take and To Bring differently in Portuguese. Watch our video Trazer vs Levar: Do I Bring or Do I Take?

Example 2:

• Eu cheguei atrasada para o jantar porque peguei muito trânsito no caminho. = I arrived late for dinner because I got a lot of traffic on my way.
• Eu cheguei atrasada para o jantar por causa do trânsito. = I arrived late for dinner because of traffic.

Tip: Learn Street Smart expressions with the Verb Pegar.

Example 3:

• Eu perdi a minha conexão porque o avião atrasou em São Francisco. = I missed my connecting flight because the plane was delayed in San Francisco.
• Eu perdi a minha conexão por causa do atraso em São Francisco. = I missed my connecting flight because of the delay in San Francisco.

Tip: Check out our video called De São Paulo, Do Brasil – Learn How to Say It Right to learn how to use prepositions with countries, cities, and states.

Example 4:

• Joana está triste porque você terminou com ela. = Joana is sad because you broke up with her.
• Joana está triste por causa de você. = Joana is sad because of you.

Keep in mind:

To use porque and por causa de correctly keep in mind that:

• Porque = because; it is followed by a verb. The verb doesn’t have to come right after porque, but you will have the verb.
• Por causa de = because of; it is followed by a noun or a pronoun, and not by a verb. It always requires the preposition de or one of its contractions.

One more tip:

• Porque (as one word) = because
• Por que…? (as two words) = Why…?

There is no difference in the pronunciation of Porque and Por que, but it does make a difference when you write an email to your friends 🙂

To learn more about “Por que”, visit the lesson called Asking why: Por que and Porque Simplified.

I hope this lesson will give you more confidence to speak Portuguese! Please rate our video on Youtube and share this post with your friends.

Até mais!

—————-

Schedule your Portuguese Demo Lesson.

Street Smart Brazil offers one-on-one and group classes online via webcam. We have a fantastic team of tutors, exclusive class materials, and complete programs from absolute beginner to fluent.  See what our customers are saying.