Car and Parce que

[Kitty]

When do you use 'car' and when 'parce que' or does it not matter?

 

[DerekJ]

I was under the impression that "car" was  more formal than "parce que" and used mainly in written french. I'm not sure that "car" would be used very much in spoken french.

I also understand that you can't start a sentence with "car".

Now this is dangerous coming from me with my limited knowledge so treat it with some scepticism.[8-)]

[Chancer]

I hear and use "car" all the time and can't give any real rules as I have learnt when and when not to use it by example or mimic like most of my French language.

I used "car" less than an hour ago speaking to my French girlfriend, I remember stumbling at the time and choosing "car" as I wanted to express "because" in the "as a result of" or "as a cause of" sense.

I hope that some virtual French person can elaborate or correct me but I believe that it is used often in speech, perhaps even more than "parce-que".

[Tourangelle]

car is more like since, or as a result of, I think, to express a consequence, whereas parce que is your common all garden because.  Personally I think parce que is used lots more, but is that just because I speak to 150 French kids a week in my job???  None of them ever say I didn't do my homework, car I forgot my book...[8-)]  Car sounds lovely and elegant to me!

[Kitty]

Thanks J.R.  When I want to say 'as a result of', I don't use 'car' or 'parce que'.  I say 'grace a' when it is positive feeling and 'a cause de' when it is a negative feeling. 

E.g. il est heureux grace a son chien, qui est genial;  il est triste a cause de son chien, qui etait mechant

I have no idea if this is correct.  Someone help us out!

[Clair]

Not an easy one to explain, but this does a pretty good job of it: http://www.ccdmd.qc.ca/correspo/Corr10-4/Car.html

In some instances, either can be used.

In some instances, car indicates a justification and in some others, parce que indicates a reason.

[Kitty]

Thanks Clair for finding this site.  When I have a clear head tomorrow morning, I'll study the article.

The difference between the two looks as clear as mud!

What did you think about my explanation for 'grace a' and 'a cause de'?

[Chancer]

Cathy

I use "grace à" to convey "thanks to" which I am reasonably confident is right although there may be other usages.

I use "à cause de" to express caused by or as a result of the actions of somebody/something or an event, but I am not as confident that my usage is correct.

Claire

I too will read the link again tomorrow with a clear head, whilst tonight I could not fully appreciate the nuances in all of the examples my gut feeling was correct for "car" or "parce-que"in every one, I guess that comes from learning the language by absorbtion like a child.

It would also explain why many people if asked could not explain why one should be used instead of the other and would simply say "it just is".

[Loiseau]

I always feel that "car" is more "literary".  I don't think I have ever used it in speech.
I think of it as a term from old-fashioned novels where "for" might be used instead of "because":

"He could not see her, for night had fallen" / "Il ne pouvait l'apercevoir, car il faisait deja nuit"

But there again, maybe I am wrong.................

Angela

[allanb]

They can sometimes mean different things. Somewhere I saw this as an example:

"Le chat miaule, parce qu'il a faim"

(the hunger is the reason for the meowing)

"Le chat a faim, car il miaule"

(the meowing is the reason for my belief that he's hungry)

I'm not sure how useful this would be in everyday conversation.

[Chancer]

I reaffirm that I hear it regularly in conversation, perhaps even more so than parce-que, maybe car I have more conversations in French or at a deeper level, or maybe I hear it more from well educated people than others.

As I havn't conversed in English since the new year I cant be getting confused with voiture[:D]

[cooperlola]

"Parce que" répond à la question "pourquoi?"

La cause est considérée comme banale. "Parce que" n'est pas, en général, en tête de la phrase:

"Il est allé voir le médécin parce qu'il avait de la fièvre depuis plusieurs jours."

"Grâce à" introduit une cause dont la consequence et positive.  Il est suivi d'un nom ou d'un pronom:

"Elle a trouvé un appartement grâce à des amis qui travaillent dans une agence."

"Car" est employé plutôt a l'écrit; il introduit une explication à ce qui vient d'être dit:

"ils avaient passé l'après midi à bavarder au coin du feu car dehors il faisait très froid"

[Ron Avery]

Parce que	Because
Parce que is a subordinating conjunction and can begin a sentence. Parce que introduces a cause, explanation, or motive - it explains why something is done.
	Je ne suis pas venu parce que mon fils est malade.	I didn't come because my son is sick.
	Parce qu'il n'a pas d'argent, il ne peut pas venir.	Because he doesn't have any money, he can't come.
Car	Because, for
Car is a coordinating conjunction, should not begin a sentence, and is mainly found in formal and written French. Car supports a judgment or indicates a reason.
	La réunion fut annulée car le président est malade.	The meeting was canceled because the chairman is sick.
	David ne va pas venir, car il est à l'université.	David isn't coming, for he is (away) at school.

 

The OP (and others learning French) should look here

http://french.about.com/

It will cut down on the French language posts on here and give her more time to tidy the kids bedrooms [:P]

[Cat]

Thanks for that.

I understand the explanations for the use of Parce que and Car Ron, but am at an absolute loss as to what they have to do with the OP and bedroom tidying?

I must have missed the joke?  You aren't really suggesting that a woman's place is in the home, quietly occupied with little household duties, are you? [:'(]

[Clair]

I think Ron must have read Wilko's post here: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/8/1162360/ShowPost.aspx#1162360

[Panda]

[quote user="Cat"]

Thanks for that.

I understand the explanations for the use of Parce que and Car Ron, but am at an absolute loss as to what they have to do with the OP and bedroom tidying?

I must have missed the joke?  You aren't really suggesting that a woman's place is in the home, quietly occupied with little household duties, are you? [:'(]

[/quote]

I think it's more to do with Cathy (the OP's ) post which included a complaint about kids bedrooms than Ron's sense of a womans role in life!

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1161623/ShowPost.aspx

[Cat]

Aha, thanks you two.  Hear that...?

It's the sound of a penny dropping (I must just pick it up, dust it off and pop it back in my better half's pocket before he complains that I haven't sewn up the hole yet )  [:)]

[Kitty]

Ron A likes to have an occasional 'pop' at me for some reason.  He thinks that the remarks that he directs at me are funny.  In reality, they can be hurtful.

[allanb]

I hear "puisque" much more often than "car" and I have the impression that it means roughly the same, but is perhaps less formal.

If you try it in Ron A's two examples, it sounds OK to me:

"La réunion fut annulée puisque le président est malade."

"David ne va pas venir, puisqu'il est à l'université."

Any thoughts?

[Ron Avery]

Yes you can use puisque in those examples Allan.  Its like in English there are a number of ways of saying the same thging.  We would use: as, due to, because, because of, as a result of or since.

I got this from the same source as the previous examples, the excellent http://french.about.com/  site

Puisque	Since, because
Puisque is a subordinating conjunction and can begin a sentence. Puisque gives an obvious explanation or justification, rather than a cause.
	Tu peux partir puisque tu es malade.	You can leave, since you're sick.
	Puisque c'était son erreur, il m'a aidé.	Since it was his mistake, he helped me.
Comme	As, since
Comme is a subordinating conjunction and usually begins a sentence. Comme highlights the link between a consequence and its result.
	Comme je lis le plus vite, j'ai déjà fini.	As I read the fastest, I've already finished.
	Comme il est faible, il ne pouvait pas le lever.	Since he is weak, he couldn't lift it.