Expressing Logical Results

Logical results show what happens because of something else. We use specific connectors to bridge these two ideas. The most common one is por isso. It's your bread and butter. But we also have intensifiers like tão and tanto. These pair with que to show that the result is a direct consequence of the scale of the cause. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. The first part sets the stage. The connector gives you the green light to the result. We also have formal versions like portanto or logo. These are great for emails or professional settings. You aren't just saying what happened. You're showing why it was inevitable.

1. 1For basic results, use: [Cause] + , por isso, + [Result].
2. 2Example: Estudei muito, por isso passei.
3. 3For intensity with adjectives or adverbs, use: tão + [Adj/Adv] + que + [Result].
4. 4Example: Ela fala tão rápido que não entendo.
5. 5For intensity with nouns, use: tanto/a/os/as + [Noun] + que + [Result].
6. 6Example: Havia tanto trânsito que me atrasei.
7. 7For formal results, use: [Cause] + ; portanto, + [Result].
8. 8Notice the punctuation! Semicolons make you look very smart.

You'll use this constantly in real-life scenarios. Imagine you're in a job interview. You want to explain how your actions led to success. You might say, Trabalhei com afinco, de modo que as vendas subiram. Or maybe you're at a restaurant. The food is taking forever. You tell your friend, O serviço está tão lento que vamos embora. Use it whenever you need to justify an action. Use it to express frustration or excitement. It helps you tell better stories. It shows you understand the logic behind your own sentences.

Don't use formal connectors like por conseguinte with your best friends. You'll sound like a 19th-century poet. Keep it casual in the bar. Also, don't confuse results with purpose. If you say Estudo para que saiba, that's an intention. If you say Estudei, de modo que sei, that's a result. Don't over-stack your sentences either. One clear result is better than a chain of five. If your sentence feels like a marathon, take a breath. Split it up. Even native speakers get lost in long result chains sometimes.

A huge mistake is mixing up porque and por isso. Porque gives the reason (the cause). Por isso gives the result. It's a classic flip-flop. Another one is forgetting to match tanto with the noun. It's tanta gente, not tanto gente. Agreement is key in Portuguese. Some people forget the que after tão. Ele é tão alto que... is correct. Without the que, the sentence just hangs there. Like a cliffhanger nobody asked for. Also, avoid using então too much. It's fine, but B2 students should vary their vocabulary.

How does this differ from cause patterns? Cause looks backward. Result looks forward. Estou cansado porque trabalhei (Cause). Trabalhei, por isso estou cansado (Result). It’s the same story, just told from a different angle. What about purpose? Purpose is what you *want* to happen. Result is what *actually* happened. Fechei a porta para que não entrasse frio (Purpose). Esqueci a porta aberta, de modo que entrou frio (Result). One is a plan. The other is a reality. Usually, results don't need the subjunctive mood. That makes your life a lot easier!