To combine time and reason, start with the time, give the main statement, then add the reason with parce que or comme. One compact sentence can then answer both “when” and “why”.
This lesson closes the skills in everyday routines and arrangements. It uses the sequences from describing a routine and the reasons from explaining a change to a plan.
How does the sentence fit together?
Think of three slots: time + statement + reason.
Le lundi (time), je me lève à cinq heures et demie (statement), parce que mon école est loin (reason).
You can also put the reason first with comme: Comme mon école est loin, je me lève à cinq heures et demie le lundi. Notice that with comme the main statement comes after a comma.
Other helpful pieces: car (because, a little more written), donc (so): Mon école est loin, donc je me lève tôt. To add a second reason, repeat the link with que: parce que mon école est loin et que le bus part à six heures.
Remember the elision: parce que becomes parce qu’ before a vowel sound, as in parce qu’il part.
Worked example
Question: Pourquoi te lèves-tu tôt le lundi ?
Le lundi, je me lève à cinq heures et demie parce que mon école est loin et que le bus part à six heures. Comme je n’aime pas être en retard, je prends toujours ma douche le soir.
Step 1, the time: Le lundi and à cinq heures et demie answer “when”.
Step 2, the first reason: parce que mon école est loin explains the early start with a full clause.
Step 3, the second reason: et que le bus part à six heures adds a reason without repeating parce.
Step 4, a change of order: Comme je n’aime pas être en retard… starts with the reason and gives the second sentence a different shape.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is to forget the elision, because the words are written correctly but the join is wrong.
Mistaken answer: Mon frère reste à la maison le dimanche parce que il est malade.
The student knew parce que and il, but the two meet at a vowel.
The correction is parce qu’il est malade. The same rule applies to parce qu’elle, parce qu’on and parce qu’ils. It is a small fix that examiners reading carefully will notice.
Check yourself
1. Join with comme: “Il pleut. Je prends le bus.”
Show answer
Comme il pleut, je prends le bus. The reason comes first, then a comma, then the main statement.
2. Correct the error: “Le samedi, ma sœur dort tard parce que elle est fatiguée.”
Show answer
Elide before elle: Le samedi, ma sœur dort tard parce qu’elle est fatiguée.
3. Answer in two short sentences: “Pourquoi fais-tu tes devoirs le vendredi soir ?”
Show answer
One possible answer: Le vendredi soir, je fais mes devoirs parce que je veux être libre le samedi. Comme j’ai un match le samedi matin, je finis tôt. Any answer with a time, a reason and a correct link is fine.
Where this leads next
You now have all four skills. Mix them in the integrated practice set, then move on to people and personal experiences.
If your answers are accurate but short, a teacher can ask follow-up questions that push you to add the reason each time. That is part of what we do in online one-to-one French tuition.