At the A1 level, you are just starting to learn how to link ideas. While 'due à' might be a bit advanced for a complete beginner, it's helpful to recognize it when you see it on signs or in simple news headlines. At this stage, you mostly use 'parce que' (because) to explain things. For example, 'Je suis fatigué parce que je travaille.' 'Due à' is like a more formal version of this. Think of it as 'caused by.' You might see it in a simple sentence like 'La fatigue est due au travail.' Note that 'due' changes slightly if the thing you are talking about is masculine or feminine. For now, just remember that it connects a result to a reason in a very direct and slightly serious way. You will often see it in weather reports: 'La pluie est due aux nuages.' It helps you understand the 'why' behind things you see in French-speaking countries.
At the A2 level, you are building your ability to describe events and explain reasons more clearly. 'Due à' becomes a useful tool for your written French. You can start using it to replace 'à cause de' when you want to sound a bit more descriptive or formal. For instance, instead of saying 'Je suis en retard à cause du trafic,' you can say 'Mon retard est dû au trafic.' This shows you are starting to understand how to use nouns as subjects. Remember the agreement rule: 'La réussite (fem.) est due à...' but 'Le succès (masc.) est dû à...'. You should use it when you are writing short reports or explaining a situation to a teacher or boss. It's a great way to make your French sound less like a translation from English and more like natural French. You will also start noticing it in simple brochures or public announcements in the metro.
At the B1 level, you are expected to handle more complex sentence structures and a wider range of vocabulary. 'Due à' is a key phrase for this level. You should be able to use it correctly in both speaking and writing, ensuring that you make the adjective 'due' agree with the noun it modifies (due, dû, dues, dus). This is the level where you move away from just saying 'why' and start describing the 'nature' of a cause. For example, in a discussion about the environment, you might say: 'La pollution de l'air est due à l'utilisation excessive des voitures.' You should also understand that 'due à' is more objective than 'à cause de'. It is perfect for professional emails, school essays, and explaining facts. You should also be careful not to start sentences with it, as that is a common mistake for B1 learners. Instead, use 'En raison de' for the beginning of a sentence.
At the B2 level, you should have a firm grasp of the grammatical nuances of 'due à'. You understand that it is essentially an adjectival phrase and that its primary role is to act as a predicate or an appositive. You can use it to add detail to your arguments in a debate or a formal essay. For instance: 'Cette instabilité politique, due à une crise économique profonde, inquiète les citoyens.' Here, you are using 'due à' to insert a cause smoothly into a complex sentence. You also know when NOT to use it—recognizing that 'grâce à' is better for positive outcomes and 'en raison de' is better for starting sentences. Your use of 'due à' should be precise, and you should never miss the agreement. You are also beginning to see how it can be used in technical or specialized fields like medicine, law, or science, where precision is paramount.
At the C1 level, your use of 'due à' should be impeccable. You understand the stylistic choice between 'due à' and its more formal cousins like 'consécutif à' or 'découlant de'. You can use 'due à' to create complex, flowing prose that shows a deep understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. You are aware of the prescriptive grammar rule that 'due à' should follow a verb like 'être', and you use this knowledge to ensure your writing meets the highest academic standards. For example: 'La mutation des structures sociales est en grande partie due à l'avènement du numérique.' You can also use it in the plural ('dues à') or masculine plural ('dus à') without hesitation. At this level, you might also use it in more abstract or philosophical contexts, discussing how certain societal shifts are 'dues à' a change in collective consciousness.
At the C2 level, you have mastered 'due à' to the point where you can use it with total stylistic control. You can use it to create rhythmic, sophisticated sentences in high-level literature or academic papers. You understand the historical development of the phrase from the verb 'devoir' and how that informs its current usage. You can navigate the subtle debates among French linguists about its use as a preposition versus an adjective. Your writing might look like this: 'L'atrophie de la pensée critique, souvent due à une surconsommation d'informations superficielles, menace le socle de la démocratie.' You are also able to identify and correct very subtle errors in its usage in the writing of others. You use 'due à' not just to explain, but to characterize the very essence of a relationship between two phenomena, showing a mastery of the French language that is indistinguishable from a highly educated native speaker.

due à 30秒で

  • Used to express causality in a formal and objective manner.
  • Must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies (dû, due, dus, dues).
  • Primarily follows the verb 'être' or acts as an appositive within a sentence.
  • Commonly found in news reports, scientific documents, and professional writing.
The French expression due à is a sophisticated causal marker used to link an effect to its cause. Historically derived from the past participle of the verb devoir (to owe), it literally translates to 'owed to.' In modern French usage, it functions similarly to the English 'due to,' 'because of,' or 'owing to.' However, its application is governed by strict grammatical rules regarding gender and number agreement, which distinguishes it from invariable prepositions like à cause de. When you use due à, you are typically communicating in a formal or semi-formal register, such as in journalism, scientific reporting, or professional correspondence. It is the linguistic tool of choice when one needs to remain objective and analytical. Unlike grâce à, which implies a positive outcome, or à cause de, which often carries a negative connotation, due à is relatively neutral, though it frequently appears in contexts describing problems, delays, or physical phenomena.
Grammatical Agreement
The word 'due' is the feminine singular form. It must agree with the noun it modifies. If the subject is masculine, you use 'dû'; if plural masculine, 'dus'; and if plural feminine, 'dues'.

La collision était due à une visibilité réduite sur l'autoroute A1.

In this example, 'due' agrees with 'la collision' (feminine singular). This precision is a hallmark of B1-level French and above. Learners often struggle with this agreement, treating it as an invariable phrase, which is a common mistake even among native speakers in informal speech. Understanding the nuance of due à requires recognizing its role as an adjective rather than just a preposition. It describes the nature of the subject. For instance, in the sentence 'L'absence est due à la maladie,' the absence itself is characterized by its cause. This subtle shift in focus—from the action to the state of the noun—is why it is so prevalent in academic writing. Furthermore, the use of due à at the beginning of a sentence is technically frowned upon by the Académie Française, though it is increasingly common. Purists prefer it to follow a form of the verb être (to be). Therefore, instead of starting with 'Due à la pluie, la fête est annulée,' it is more 'correct' to say 'L'annulation de la fête est due à la pluie.' This distinction is vital for students aiming for C1 or C2 proficiency.
Register and Tone
It is significantly more formal than 'parce que' or 'car'. Use it when writing reports, news articles, or explaining medical conditions.

Cette augmentation des prix est due à l'inflation mondiale.

In summary, due à is a versatile but grammatically sensitive way to express causality, essential for moving beyond basic French and mastering the nuances of formal logic and description.
Using due à correctly involves a two-step mental check: identifying the gender of the subject and determining the formality of the context. Because 'due' is an adjective, it must match the noun it refers to. Let's look at the feminine singular usage specifically. When you say 'La réussite est due à son travail,' the word 'réussite' is feminine singular, thus 'due' is the correct form. If you were talking about 'Le succès' (masculine), you would use 'dû à.' This requirement for agreement is the most significant hurdle for English speakers who are used to the invariable 'due to.'
The 'Être' Requirement
In formal French, 'due à' should ideally follow a form of the verb 'être' (to be). It acts as an attribute of the subject.

L'extinction de l'espèce est due à la perte d'habitat.

In this sentence, 'extinction' (feminine) is the subject, 'est' is the verb, and 'due à la perte d'habitat' is the adjectival phrase explaining the cause. This structure is very common in scientific and historical texts. If you want to use it in a more complex sentence, you might see it nested within a relative clause: 'Une erreur due à l'inattention a causé le problème.' Here, 'due à l'inattention' modifies 'une erreur.'
Positioning
Avoid starting a sentence with 'Due à'. While common in English, it is often corrected to 'En raison de' or 'À cause de' in French writing.

La fatigue, due à un manque de sommeil, affecte sa concentration.

Notice how the phrase is set off by commas in the example above. This appositive use is another way to integrate due à into your writing. It provides additional information about the noun 'la fatigue.' For B1 learners, mastering due à means moving away from the repetitive use of parce que. It allows you to construct more varied and professional sentences. For example, instead of saying 'Elle est en retard parce qu'il y a des bouchons,' you could say 'Son retard est dû aux bouchons.' Note that 'retard' is masculine, so 'dû' is used. If the subject were 'L'absence' (feminine), you would revert to due à.
Common Contexts
Medical diagnoses: 'Une infection due à un virus.' Technical reports: 'Une panne due à un court-circuit.' Economic analysis: 'La croissance due à l'exportation.'

La baisse de température est due à l'arrivée d'une masse d'air polaire.

In daily life, you might see this on public transport signs: 'Une interruption de service due à un incident technique.' This usage is ubiquitous in France and other French-speaking regions, making it an essential phrase for navigating the world in French.
If you listen to the news on France Inter or watch the 20h news on TF1, you will hear due à (or its masculine counterpart dû à) almost every single day. It is the bread and butter of journalistic reporting. News anchors use it to explain the causes of political shifts, economic downturns, or environmental disasters. For instance, a reporter might say, 'La montée des eaux est due à la fonte des glaces.' This sounds much more authoritative and professional than using à cause de, which can sometimes sound slightly more colloquial or even accusatory.
The Weather Report
Meteorologists frequently use it to link atmospheric conditions. 'La vigilance orange est due à des vents violents.'

L'alerte météo est due à l'approche d'une tempête tropicale.

In the workplace, due à is the standard for explaining results during meetings or in emails. If a project is delayed, a manager would write: 'La latence dans le projet est due à des contraintes budgétaires.' It shifts the focus from 'who' is at fault to 'what' the cause is, which is often preferred in corporate diplomacy. You will also find it in the medical field. A doctor explaining a condition to a patient might say, 'Votre douleur est due à une inflammation de l'articulation.' Here, it acts as a precise diagnostic link. In literature, authors use due à to provide psychological depth or to describe the environment. A novelist might describe a character's melancholy as being due à a lost love. It adds a layer of formal elegance to the prose. In academic settings, such as university lectures at the Sorbonne, professors use it constantly to link theories to evidence. 'Cette réaction chimique est due à l'oxydation du fer.'
Public Service Announcements
Frequent on the RATP (Paris metro) or SNCF (trains): 'Une modification de l'itinéraire due à des travaux.'

La perturbation du trafic est due à une panne de signalisation.

Understanding where to hear it helps you realize that it's not just a 'book' word; it's a living part of the French information landscape. Whether you are reading a lease agreement ('les réparations dues à l'usure normale') or listening to a podcast about history, this phrase is everywhere, signaling a logical connection between two events or states.
The most frequent error English speakers make with due à is failing to make it agree with the noun it describes. Because 'due to' is invariable in English, learners tend to use 'dû à' (masculine singular) as a universal catch-all. This is incorrect. If the noun is 'la réussite' (feminine), you must use due à. If it is 'les erreurs' (feminine plural), you must use 'dues à.' This requires constant vigilance during the writing process.
Mistake 1: Lack of Agreement
Incorrect: 'La fatigue est dû à la chaleur.' Correct: 'La fatigue est due à la chaleur.'

L'augmentation (fem.) est due à (not 'dû à') la demande.

Another common mistake is using due à at the very beginning of a sentence. While this is standard in English ('Due to the rain, the game was canceled'), in French, this is considered a 'calque' (a direct, often incorrect, translation from English). Grammatically, due à is an adjective and needs something to modify. If it starts the sentence, it has nothing to attach to. It is better to use 'En raison de' or 'À cause de' in such cases.
Mistake 2: Starting Sentences
Incorrect: 'Due à la neige, je suis en retard.' Better: 'En raison de la neige, je suis en retard' OR 'Mon retard est dû à la neige.'

La confusion, due à un malentendu, a été résolue rapidement.

A third mistake is confusing due à with grâce à. Remember that grâce à is used for positive reasons ('Thanks to'). While due à is neutral, using it for something very positive can sometimes sound overly clinical or cold. If your friend helped you pass an exam, say 'C'est grâce à toi,' not 'C'est dû à toi.' The latter sounds like you are attributing a result in a laboratory report rather than thanking a person. Finally, many learners forget that 'à' can contract with 'le' or 'les'. So, if you are saying something is due to 'les facteurs,' it becomes 'due aux facteurs.' If it's due to 'le vent,' it becomes 'due au vent' (if the subject is feminine, like 'la chute').
Mistake 3: Forgetting Contractions
Incorrect: 'La réussite est due à les efforts.' Correct: 'La réussite est due aux efforts.'

La pollution est due au trafic intense en ville.

By avoiding these pitfalls, your French will sound much more natural and grammatically precise.
French has a rich vocabulary for expressing causality, and choosing the right one depends on the tone and the nature of the cause. Due à is just one option in a toolkit that includes à cause de, en raison de, grâce à, and par suite de. Understanding the differences between these is key to achieving B2 or C1 level fluency.
À cause de
The most common way to say 'because of'. It is usually used for negative causes. Unlike 'due à', it is a prepositional phrase and never changes its form.
En raison de
Very formal and neutral. It is the best choice for starting a sentence. 'En raison de la grève, le train est annulé.'

L'annulation, due à la grève, a surpris les voyageurs.

Note the difference: 'En raison de' starts the sentence, while due à modifies 'l'annulation'. Another alternative is grâce à, which is exclusively for positive outcomes. You would never say 'L'accident est grâce au conducteur' unless you were being extremely sarcastic. Instead, you would use 'à cause de' or dû à.
Grâce à
Used for positive results. 'La victoire est grâce à l'effort collectif.' (Note: 'due à' could also be used here, but it would be more clinical).

La guérison est due à un traitement innovant.

In technical or legal French, you might encounter consécutif à. This is very similar to due à but implies a direct sequence of events. For example, 'Les dommages consécutifs à l'incendie.' This is even more formal than due à. Another high-level alternative is découlant de (stemming from). 'Les problèmes découlant de cette décision.' This is often used in political or philosophical discussions to show how one concept flows from another.
Par suite de
A slightly dated but still used formal expression meaning 'as a result of'. Frequently seen in administration.

La décision, due à un manque de preuves, est définitive.

By mastering these alternatives, you can tailor your French to any situation, from a casual chat with a neighbor to a formal presentation at a university.

レベル別の例文

1

La fatigue est due à la chaleur.

The tiredness is due to the heat.

Fatigue is feminine, so we use 'due'.

2

La soif est due au sport.

The thirst is due to sport.

'Au' is the contraction of 'à + le'.

3

Le retard est dû à la pluie.

The delay is due to the rain.

Retard is masculine, so we use 'dû'.

4

La réussite est due à l'étude.

Success is due to study.

'L'étude' starts with a vowel, so we use 'à l''.

5

La faim est due à l'absence de repas.

Hunger is due to the absence of a meal.

Faim is feminine singular.

6

Le bruit est dû aux voitures.

The noise is due to the cars.

'Aux' is the contraction of 'à + les'.

7

La joie est due au cadeau.

The joy is due to the gift.

Cadeau is masculine, so 'au'.

8

La peur est due à l'obscurité.

The fear is due to the darkness.

Peur is feminine singular.

1

L'absence de Marie est due à une grippe.

Marie's absence is due to a flu.

Absence is feminine, so 'due'.

2

La panne est due à un vieux moteur.

The breakdown is due to an old engine.

Panne is feminine singular.

3

Leur colère est due à une injustice.

Their anger is due to an injustice.

Colère is feminine singular.

4

La fermeture est due aux vacances.

The closure is due to the holidays.

'Aux' because 'vacances' is plural.

5

Ma mauvaise note est due à un manque de travail.

My bad grade is due to a lack of work.

Note is feminine singular.

6

La pollution est due à l'usine.

The pollution is due to the factory.

Pollution is feminine singular.

7

Le silence est dû au respect.

The silence is due to respect.

Silence is masculine singular.

8

Cette erreur est due à l'inattention.

This error is due to inattention.

Erreur is feminine singular.

1

La baisse des ventes est due à la concurrence.

The drop in sales is due to competition.

Baisse is feminine singular.

2

L'augmentation du prix est due à l'inflation.

The price increase is due to inflation.

Augmentation is feminine singular.

3

Cette réaction chimique est due à l'acide.

This chemical reaction is due to the acid.

Réaction is feminine singular.

4

La défaite de l'équipe est due à une mauvaise tactique.

The team's defeat is due to a bad tactic.

Défaite is feminine singular.

5

La visibilité réduite est due au brouillard.

The reduced visibility is due to the fog.

Visibilité is feminine singular.

6

L'extinction des feux est due à une panne électrique.

The lights going out is due to an electric failure.

Extinction is feminine singular.

7

La lenteur du système est due au manque de mémoire.

The system slowness is due to the lack of memory.

Lenteur is feminine singular.

8

Sa réussite est due à sa persévérance.

Her success is due to her perseverance.

Réussite is feminine singular.

1

La dégradation du climat est due aux activités humaines.

The climate degradation is due to human activities.

Dégradation is feminine singular; activities is plural.

2

L'instabilité politique est due à la corruption.

The political instability is due to corruption.

Instabilité is feminine singular.

3

La mutation du virus est due à des facteurs génétiques.

The virus mutation is due to genetic factors.

Mutation is feminine singular.

4

La fragilité de l'économie est due à la dette publique.

The fragility of the economy is due to public debt.

Fragilité is feminine singular.

5

Cette allergie est due à la présence de pollen.

This allergy is due to the presence of pollen.

Allergie is feminine singular.

6

La perte de biodiversité est due à la déforestation.

The loss of biodiversity is due to deforestation.

Perte is feminine singular.

7

La hausse du chômage est due à la crise sanitaire.

The rise in unemployment is due to the health crisis.

Hausse is feminine singular.

8

L'érosion des sols est due à une agriculture intensive.

Soil erosion is due to intensive agriculture.

Érosion is feminine singular.

1

La sédentarité, due à l'usage des écrans, nuit à la santé.

Sedentary lifestyle, due to screen use, harms health.

Use of 'due à' as an appositive modifying 'sédentarité'.

2

L'atrophie musculaire est due à un manque d'exercice prolongé.

Muscle atrophy is due to a prolonged lack of exercise.

Atrophie is feminine singular.

3

La polarisation sociale est due à l'influence des réseaux sociaux.

Social polarization is due to the influence of social networks.

Polarisation is feminine singular.

4

L'obsolescence programmée est due à une stratégie commerciale.

Planned obsolescence is due to a commercial strategy.

Obsolescence is feminine singular.

5

La raréfaction des ressources est due à une surconsommation.

The scarcity of resources is due to overconsumption.

Raréfaction is feminine singular.

6

Cette méfiance, due à des promesses non tenues, est compréhensible.

This mistrust, due to unkept promises, is understandable.

Méfiance is feminine singular.

7

La complexité du problème est due à de multiples variables.

The complexity of the problem is due to multiple variables.

Complexité is feminine singular.

8

L'émergence de nouveaux courants est due à un besoin de renouveau.

The emergence of new trends is due to a need for renewal.

Émergence is feminine singular.

1

La sclérose institutionnelle est due à une bureaucratie excessive.

Institutional sclerosis is due to excessive bureaucracy.

Sclérose is feminine singular.

2

La déliquescence de l'empire était due à des tensions internes.

The decay of the empire was due to internal tensions.

Déliquescence is feminine singular.

3

L'hégémonie culturelle est en partie due à la puissance économique.

Cultural hegemony is partly due to economic power.

Hégémonie is feminine singular.

4

La rémanence du traumatisme est due à un manque de suivi psychologique.

The persistence of the trauma is due to a lack of psychological follow-up.

Rémanence is feminine singular.

5

L'opacité du système financier est due à des régulations lacunaires.

The opacity of the financial system is due to incomplete regulations.

Opacité is feminine singular.

6

La prégnance de ce mythe est due à sa dimension universelle.

The significance of this myth is due to its universal dimension.

Prégnance is feminine singular.

7

La précarité énergétique est due à l'envolée des prix de l'électricité.

Energy precariousness is due to the soaring prices of electricity.

Précarité is feminine singular.

8

L'altération de la vérité est souvent due à une propagande ciblée.

The alteration of the truth is often due to targeted propaganda.

Altération is feminine singular.

よく使う組み合わせ

La mort due à...
La panne due à...
L'absence due à...
La réussite due à...
La pollution due à...
L'augmentation due à...
L'erreur due à...
La fatigue due à...
La baisse due à...
La perte due à...

よく使うフレーズ

En partie due à

— When something is not the only cause, but

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