Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Grammar Supplement · Curriculum gap

으로 말미암아

으로 말미암아: Owing To… — Formal Written Cause

Verb 말미암다 「001」: be caused by — N으로 말미암아 in formal writing.

Before this, make sure you know: (으)로 , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When	Form	Example
Noun + 으로 말미암아	N으로 말미암아	사고로 말미암아 / 비로 말미암아
After vowel / ㄹ (로)	N로 말미암아	실수로 말미암아

으로 말미암아 marks formal written cause — owing to….

우리말샘 말미암다 「001」. Not everyday café linkage. Not purpose 으로.

Why this is hard

Every English because is not -아서/어서. 말미암아 belongs in reports and essays. Using it in soft chat sounds stiff; skipping it in formal prose can sound thin. Learners also bolt it onto verb stems when the seat wants a noun cause.

What it does

You name a noun cause in a heavy written frame.

사고로 말미암아 지연됐어요.
비로 말미암아 행사가 미뤄졌어요.
실수로 말미암아 문제가 생겼어요.
그 결정으로 말미암아 변화가 왔어요.

The focus is the cause noun, then the result clause.

Forms

Noun + (으)로 말미암아.

사고 → 사고로 말미암아
비 → 비로 말미암아
실수 → 실수로 말미암아

When not to use it

Do not default to it for spoken excuses — use -아서/어서 / 때문에.

Do not confuse it with purpose 으로 (by means of / in order to readings).

Do not invent a verb-stem + 말미암아 when the dictionary seat is noun + (으)로.

Neighbours — and why they differ

Form	Why it is not this slot
-아서/어서	Everyday reason link.
으로 인하여	Also formal cause — near twin.
-기 때문에	Because of doing… — -기 package.

Ask: am I writing a formal owing-to cause? If yes, 으로 말미암아. If chatting, stay lighter.

Do not confuse it with

-아서 / -어서

because (statement only, never a command)

으로 인하여

due to — the cause of news and reports

-기 때문에

because — the written, more formal reason

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 교재·표준 교육과정 밖의 문법 (Grammar outside of textbooks and standard curriculum) — Advanced Grammar Supplement, Unit 1, on the theme of Curriculum gap. These come with it:

-는 셈이다 amounts to / counts as — treating the situation as that result (-는 셈이다) -을 지경이다 to the point of… — an extreme state or plight (-을 지경이다) -기 십상이다 almost certain to… — nine times out of ten (-기 십상이다) -는 둥 마는 둥 half-doing it — barely, half-heartedly (-는 둥 마는 둥) -던 차에 just when… — at the very moment that was underway (-던 차에) -는답시고 under the pretext of… — claiming to, often critically (-는답시고) -는가 하면 and then again… — stacking contrasting cases (-는가 하면) -을 겸 while also… — doing it for that purpose too (-을 겸) -게끔 so that… — purpose with a firm push (-게끔) -을 턱이 없다 no reason whatsoever… — denying grounds flatly (-을 턱이 없다) -을 리 만무하다 utterly no chance… — impossibility stressed (-을 리 만무하다) -을 성싶다 seems likely to… — a soft forecast (-을 성싶다) -을지언정 even if… — conceding then holding the other line (-을지언정) -기 그지없다 endlessly… — extreme degree with no bound (-기 그지없다) -기 이를 데 없다 beyond words… — so much there is no way to say it (-기 이를 데 없다) -다 못해 unable to go on… — past the limit, then the sequel (-다 못해) -는 셈치고 pretending / counting it as… — provisional assumption (-는 셈치고) -는다 뿐이지 only that… — limiting the claim to just that (-는다 뿐이지) -는다손 치더라도 even granting that… — strong concession then pushback (-는다손 치더라도) -어 주십사 please do… for me — earnest old-style request (-어 주십사) -겠거니 thinking it would… — assumption that guides the next act (-겠거니) -으랴 -으랴 what with A and B… — piling pressures or tasks (-으랴 -으랴) -으려던 참이다 was just about to… — intention interrupted at the brink (-으려던 참이다) -는다기보다는 rather than saying… — reframing the label (-는다기보다는) -은 끝에 after all that… — only at the end of the ordeal (-은 끝에) -은 바 있다 have (once)… — formal experience on record (-은 바 있다) -건 간에 whether A or B… — it does not matter which (-건 간에)

Words used above

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말미암다malmiamdato be caused by

으로 말미암아euro malmiamaowing to…

원인wonincause

문어muneowritten style

인하여inhayeodue to — neighbour

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. The delay is owing to the accident, in the formal written cause, not everyday because.

2. The event was put off owing to the rain. You want 말미암아, not the near-twin formal cause.

3. A problem arose owing to a mistake, in the heavy written frame. Which line?

Common questions

Dictionary?

우리말샘 말미암다 「001」: …에 / …으로 — be the cause or reason.

Tone?

Reports and essays — not default café chat.

Vs 으로 인하여?

으로 인하여 is also formal cause; 말미암아 feels more literary.

Café soft?

Use 때문에 or -아서/어서 for an ordinary cause; -(으)로 말미암아 is formal.