Difference Between Since and Because

Main Difference – Since vs Because

Since and because are two subordinating conjugations which are used to connect two sentences. Even though these two words can be used interchangeably, these are some differences between them. The main difference between since and because is that because is mainly used to introduce a cause or reason whereas since is mainly used to introduce cause and time.

Since – Meaning and Usage

Since is a subordinating conjunction that can be used to indicate two meanings. It can be used to introduce a cause as well as a time period. For example,

Time:

I didn’t see him since last week.

She has learned swimming since she was six years old.

Cause:

I made myself a sandwich since you have already eaten.

Since I was late, I went home.

Since can be used interchangeably with because, when it introduces a cause. However, it is also important to note that since is used to indicate a fact which is already known. The clause introduced by since is not generally the main or important part of the section. It doesn’t actually emphasize the cause. Since since is used with a less important part of a sentence, a certain degree of difference can be noted between since and because even if they are both used to introduce a cause.

I didn’t buy anything since you already have a lot of ceramics.

Because – Meaning and Usage

Because is a subordinating conjunction, which is used to introduce a cause. Because is used at the beginning of the clause, before the subject or the verb. For example,

I lied to you because I wanted to protect you.

I joined them because I felt that it was my duty.

He wanted to help them because they were friends.

Because I submitted the assignment on time, I got an A+.

In the above examples, you’ll note that the subordinating clause has more importance than the rest of the sentence. It’s because the emphasis is actually on the subordinating clauses, and it’s the conjugation because that actually introduces the emphasis. While it is not grammatically incorrect to use since to replace because, since does not convey that sense of importance.

In the following sentences, you can note how the emphasis of the sentence changes when the two conjugations are interchanged.

He wanted to help them because they were friends.⇒ He wanted to help them since they were friends.

I lied to you because I wanted to protect you. ⇒ I lied to you since I wanted to protect you.

I made myself a sandwich since you have already eaten. ⇒ I made myself a sandwich because you have already eaten.

He cried because he was lost.