wegen or weil?

Q: wegen or weil?

Both give the reason but stand before different things: wegen is a preposition and comes before a noun, weil is a conjunction and introduces a whole clause, with the verb at the end.

Both give the reason but stand before different things: wegen is a preposition and comes before a noun, weil is a conjunction and introduces a whole clause, with the verb at the end.

wegen

Before a noun, with the genitive in standard German: wegen des Wetters. Colloquially you hear the dative (wegen dem Wetter).

Wegen des Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause.Because of the weather we're staying at home.

weil

Before a complete clause with its own subject; the finite verb moves right to the end.

Wir bleiben zu Hause, weil es regnet.We're staying at home because it's raining.

The mistake

Wegen es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.

Weil es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.

„wegen“ cannot introduce a clause; „weil“ does that. Before a noun, „wegen des Regens“ would be correct.

Rule of thumb

Is a noun next? wegen. A clause with a verb? weil. The pair trotz and obwohl works the same way.

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