Connecting Ideas in Chinese: 因为…所以…, 虽然…但是…, 如果…就…

The paired conjunctions that link clauses in Mandarin, with examples, and how they differ from English 'because' and 'although'.

Connecting words let you move from short sentences to real explanations and opinions. Mandarin has a neat habit of using them in pairs.

因为…所以…: because…so…

Unlike English, where "because" and "so" don't appear together, Mandarin often uses both:

因为下雨，所以我没去。 (Yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ wǒ méi qù.) — Because it rained, I didn't go.

In everyday speech, either half can be dropped: 因为下雨，我没去。 or 下雨了，所以我没去。

Again, both halves usually appear:

虽然很贵，但是很好吃。 (Suīrán hěn guì, dànshì hěn hǎochī.) — Although it's expensive, it's delicious.
虽然他很忙，可是他还是来了。 (Suīrán tā hěn máng, kěshì tā háishi lái le.) — Although he's busy, he still came.

如果明天下雨，我们就不去。 (Rúguǒ míngtiān xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù bú qù.) — If it rains tomorrow, we won't go.
你要是累了，就休息吧。 (Nǐ yàoshi lèi le, jiù xiūxi ba.) — If you're tired, just rest.

要是 (yàoshi) and 假如 (jiǎrú) are alternatives to 如果.

她不但会说英语，而且会说日语。 (Tā búdàn huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě huì shuō Rìyǔ.) — She can speak not only English but also Japanese.

我先吃饭，然后看电视。 (Wǒ xiān chī fàn, ránhòu kàn diànshì.) — I'll eat first, then watch TV.

他一边走路一边听音乐。 (Tā yìbiān zǒulù yìbiān tīng yīnyuè.) — He listens to music while walking.

These are close in meaning. 但是 is neutral, 可是 is more colloquial, and 不过 is softer, like "however".

所以 is the everyday "so". 因此 (yīncǐ) is more formal, "therefore".