Catalan separates two directions of reasoning that English often connects with a loose “so” or “because.” Perquè introduces the reason for an event; per tant, resultative doncs, and així doncs tell the listener what follows from information already available. The distinction is not merely stylistic: reversing the direction changes which proposition is presented as evidence.
These markers also work at different grammatical levels. Perquè joins a dependent cause clause to a main clause, whereas per tant and així doncs normally organize complete propositions. Doncs can mark a consequence, but in conversation it also launches answers, changes phase, or conveys insistence. Those interactional uses receive fuller treatment on the many uses of doncs.
The cause–result map
| Marker | Direction | Usual scope and position | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| perquè | event → its cause | introduces a dependent clause, commonly after the main clause | all registers |
| per tant | premise → logical result | initial or parenthetical; scopes over a proposition | neutral to formal |
| doncs | situation → practical consequence | often begins a reply or follows a stated condition | especially spoken and interactive |
| així doncs | prior discussion → stated conclusion or next step | usually sentence-initial | formal, expository, planned speech |
Hem ajornat l'excursió perquè demà hi haurà tempestes a la costa.
We have postponed the excursion because there will be storms on the coast tomorrow.
Demà hi haurà tempestes a la costa; per tant, hem ajornat l'excursió.
There will be storms on the coast tomorrow; therefore, we have postponed the excursion.
The same facts appear in both sentences, but their packaging differs. The first sentence announces the postponement and supplies its cause. The second presents the weather forecast as evidence and then draws a result. In speech, the result marker normally begins a new intonation group. In writing, a preceding period or semicolon makes that boundary visible, while a following comma often closes the marker's own intonation group.
Perquè introduces a cause
The conjunction perquè makes its clause grammatically dependent. When the cause follows the result, there is normally no comma before perquè. A preceding causal clause is possible, especially when it sets the background, and it is then followed by a comma.
No et vaig contestar perquè estava atenent un client.
I didn't answer you because I was helping a customer.
Com que el servidor encara no respon, haurem de registrar les comandes a mà.
Because the server is still not responding, we will have to record the orders by hand.
When a cause sets the background before the result, com que is the ordinary choice, as in the second example; the following comma closes that introductory clause. The dedicated causal conjunctions page compares those constructions. Here the important point is that perquè explains a state of affairs; it does not independently announce the conclusion.
The written accents matter: causal perquè is one word with è. Do not confuse it with interrogative per què “why” or the noun el perquè “the reason.”
Per tant presents a reasoned result
Per tant means “therefore” or “consequently.” It invites the addressee to accept the following proposition as a logical, administrative, or practical consequence. It is common in explanations, minutes, reports, and careful conversation; repeated in every sentence, however, it can make ordinary speech sound like a proof.
La reserva no queda confirmada fins que rebem el pagament. Per tant, l'habitació encara consta com a disponible.
The booking is not confirmed until we receive payment. Therefore, the room still appears as available.
La Marta, per tant, assumirà la coordinació fins que torni en Biel.
Marta, therefore, will take over coordination until Biel returns.
Initial Per tant, scopes naturally over the whole sentence. Parenthetical per tant is set off by commas and often sounds more formal. In conversation, a pause before it gives the reasoning weight; without that pause, a hurried chain of connectors can be hard to process.
Doncs draws a consequence—and does more
Resultative doncs is especially natural in replies, conditionals, and decisions made from the immediately preceding situation. It often corresponds to English “then” or “in that case,” not causal “because.”
—La farmàcia ja està tancada. —Doncs passarem per la de l'estació.
—The pharmacy is already closed. —Then we'll stop by the one at the station.
Si ningú no hi té cap objecció, doncs enviem la proposta aquesta tarda.
If nobody has any objection, then let's send the proposal this afternoon.
In the reply, doncs acknowledges the first speaker's news and launches an adapted plan. A firm falling contour can make that plan sound decisive. With a short hesitation—Doncs... potser podríem passar...—the same marker buys time and softens the proposal.
Doncs cancel·la la comanda i demana'n una altra.
Then cancel the order and request another one. (direct)
Doncs, si et sembla, podríem cancel·lar la comanda i buscar una altra opció.
Then, if that works for you, we could cancel the order and look for another option. (softened)
The politeness difference comes from si et sembla and the conditional podríem, not from doncs itself. Treating a connector as automatically polite can produce a command harsher than intended.
Així doncs closes a chain of reasoning
Així doncs is a two-word marker meaning “thus,” “therefore,” or “so then.” It gathers up more than one previous point and announces a conclusion, summary, or procedural next step. It is at home in formal, academic, and administrative language, and also in prepared presentations.
Els dos pressupostos superen el límit i cap proveïdor pot avançar el termini. Així doncs, obrirem una nova convocatòria.
Both quotations exceed the limit and neither supplier can bring the deadline forward. Therefore, we will open a new call.
Així doncs, senyora Puig, li enviarem la resolució abans de divendres.
Accordingly, Ms Puig, we will send you the decision before Friday. (formal)
In spontaneous chat, així doncs can sound ceremonious. Plain doncs, així que, or a sentence with no explicit connector may be more natural. Conversely, in a written conclusion, doncs alone may sound interactional while així doncs clearly signals planned structure.
Near-synonyms and decisions
| If you mean... | Prefer... | Avoid confusing it with... |
|---|---|---|
| the reason something happened | perquè | doncs, which does not normally introduce causal subordination |
| a conclusion presented as logical | per tant | després, which usually marks later time |
| an immediate conversational response | doncs | així doncs, often too planned for a casual reply |
| a conclusion after several points | així doncs | stacking per tant and doncs |
Així que is another very common result conjunction: No hi havia lloc, així que vam marxar. It integrates the result more tightly into one sentence than sentence-initial per tant. The result conjunctions page develops that contrast.
Informal and formal exchanges
—No trobo cap taxi lliure. —Doncs vine amb metro; t'espero a la sortida de Marina.
—I can't find a free taxi. —Then come by metro; I'll wait for you at the Marina exit. (informal)
The second speaker responds to the obstacle in real time. Per tant would be grammatical, but stiff in this quick exchange.
—La sol·licitud va entrar fora de termini; per tant, no la podem admetre. —Ho entenc. Així doncs, em podria indicar quan s'obre la convocatòria següent?
—The application arrived after the deadline; therefore, we cannot accept it. —I understand. In that case, could you tell me when the next call opens? (formal)
The exchange consistently uses vostè forms: em podria indicar. Changing suddenly to em pots indicar would shift to tu. The applicant's així doncs also shows that the question follows from the official's explanation rather than challenging it.
Repairing an interaction
—No he presentat el document, doncs l'oficina estava tancada. —Vols dir que no el vas presentar perquè estava tancada?
—I didn't submit the document, so/because the office was closed. —Do you mean you didn't submit it because it was closed? (the causal use of doncs is unclear/nonstandard)
The first speaker has copied Spanish pues or English “so” into a causal slot. The listener repairs the direction explicitly with perquè.
—Sí: no el vaig presentar perquè l'oficina estava tancada. Per tant, hi tornaré demà al matí. —Ara sí, entès.
—Right: I didn't submit it because the office was closed. Therefore, I'll go back tomorrow morning. —Now I understand.
The repair assigns each connector one job: perquè supplies the reason; per tant announces the resulting plan. This is more informative than replacing one word without identifying the reasoning relation.
Regional and multilingual context
All four forms belong to contemporary standard Catalan. Their frequency and conversational rhythm vary across Central, Valencian, Balearic, Northwestern, Northern, and Alguerese speech. Balearic idò, for example, can perform some response-launching and inferential work associated with doncs (regional: Balearic), but it is not a word-for-word substitute in every construction. Valencian speakers may favor other result connectors in casual speech while using per tant and així doncs readily in formal prose.
Spanish contact makes causal doncs particularly tempting because Spanish pues can carry causal force in some registers. In the shared standard taught here, use perquè, com que, or another causal conjunction for an actual reason. Regional preference should shape natural style, but it does not erase the cause–result test.
Correction task
Choose one connector for each blank before checking the answers: perquè, per tant, doncs, així doncs.
- El tren acumula quaranta minuts de retard; _ arribarem després de les deu.
- No encenguis l'ordinador _ el tècnic encara està revisant la instal·lació.
- A committee chair concludes three agenda points and announces the final decision: _, sotmetem la proposta a votació.
El tren acumula quaranta minuts de retard; per tant, arribarem després de les deu.
The train is running forty minutes late; therefore, we will arrive after ten. — a conclusion from evidence
No encenguis l'ordinador perquè el tècnic encara està revisant la instal·lació.
Don't turn on the computer because the technician is still checking the installation. — a cause
Així doncs, sotmetem la proposta a votació.
Accordingly, we put the proposal to a vote. — a formal conclusion after several points
Common Mistakes
1. Using doncs as causal “because.”
❌ No han obert la terrassa, doncs bufava una tramuntana fortíssima.
Incorrect in the intended standard causal reading: doncs should not replace perquè.
✅ No han obert la terrassa perquè bufava una tramuntana fortíssima.
They didn't open the terrace because an extremely strong northerly wind was blowing.
2. Adding a comma before an ordinary following perquè clause.
❌ He desconnectat el ventilador, perquè feia un soroll metàl·lic molt molest.
Incorrect neutral punctuation: the following cause is integrated and normally has no comma before perquè.
✅ He desconnectat el ventilador perquè feia un soroll metàl·lic molt molest.
I unplugged the fan because it was making a very annoying metallic noise.
3. Stacking equivalent result markers.
❌ Per tant, així doncs, ajornarem la votació fins dilluns.
Heavy and redundant: two conclusion markers compete for the same scope.
✅ Per tant, ajornarem la votació fins dilluns.
Therefore, we will postpone the vote until Monday.
4. Mixing forms of address while drawing a conclusion.
❌ Vostè ja té tota la informació; per tant, decideix quan vulguis.
Incorrect address agreement: vostè is followed by tu forms decideix and vulguis.
✅ Vostè ja té tota la informació; per tant, decideixi quan vulgui.
You already have all the information; therefore, decide whenever you wish. (formal address)
Key Takeaways
Use perquè to answer “why?” inside a cause construction. Use per tant for an explicit inference, conversational doncs for an immediate consequence or response, and així doncs to conclude a longer or more formal chain. A pause and following comma signal the broad scope of a discourse marker; the dependent clause after ordinary perquè normally remains integrated. Above all, do not let English “so” or Spanish pues collapse cause and consequence into a single Catalan connector.
Now practice Catalan
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Catalan →Related Topics
- Perquè, Ja Que, Com Que, and CarA2 — Choose among Catalan causal connectors according to whether the reason is neutral, already shared, placed first, or presented in a literary explanatory register.
- Result and Consequence ConjunctionsA2 — How Catalan presents actual consequences and intended outcomes with així que, de manera que, tan… que, and tant… que.
- Sequencing: Primer, Després, Llavors, and FinalmentA2 — Order events and arguments naturally with primer, després, llavors, and finalment across conversation and formal writing.
- Contrasting: Però, En Canvi, Tanmateix, and Ara BéA2 — Distinguish local opposition, comparison, counterexpectation, and argumentative pivots with natural Catalan contrast markers.
- The Many Uses of DoncsB1 — Use doncs for consequences, transitions, answer launches, hesitation, and insistence without confusing it with causal perquè.
- Punctuation with Discourse MarkersC1 — Punctuate initial, medial, integrated, and parenthetical Catalan discourse markers according to their scope and prosodic detachment.