Meaning
Softly expresses a reason or cause. It usually sounds softer and more polite than から.
Formation
- Plain form + ので: 降っているので, 高いので
- Nouns and na-adjectives take な: 雨なので, 静かなので
- Softer than から; polite ますので and ですので are possible
When to use it
- Core use
- Because, a softer reason
Example
雨が降っているので出かけません
It is raining, so I am not going out.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.