änkö

Çünkü is a Turkish subordinating conjunction meaning "because" or "for the reason that." It introduces a causal clause that explains the reason for the action or statement in the main clause. In ordinary usage, çünkü connects a main clause to a reason clause, typically following the main clause, but it can also begin a sentence when used to justify what comes next.

Etymology and form: Çünki is native Turkish, commonly analyzed as a compound of the particles çün (for, because) and ki (that), fused into the modern form çünkü. Older or historical texts sometimes show spellings such as çünki; the standard contemporary spelling is tamamen bugün kullanılan biçim için.

Usage and syntax: Because clauses introduced by çünkü are finite and subordinate; the verb at the end of the because clause is conjugated for tense and person, just like in other Turkish subordinate clauses. The subject within the because clause may be explicit or understood from context; commas are often used to separate the main clause from the reason clause when orta cümle içinde veya iki bağımsız cümle arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemek için. The usual word order is main clause + çünkü + reason clause, though Turkish allows flexibility in sentence rhythm and emphasis.

Examples:

- Dışarı çıkmadım çünkü yağmur yağıyordu. (I didn’t go out because it was raining.)

- Geç kaldım çünkü otobüs geç geldi. (I was late because the bus arrived late.)

- Çünkü yağmur yağıyor, şemsiyem yoksa dışarı çıkmayacağım. (Because it’s raining, I won’t go out without an umbrella.)

See also: Turkish conjunctions, other causal connectors such as çünküylesi, and contrastive counterparts like ama.