因为 / 由于 / 鉴于【yīnwèi / yóuyú / jiànyú】

因为, 由于 and 鉴于 all introduce a reason. 因为 works in any register, 由于 is written, and 鉴于 is official language that gives grounds for a decision.

因为 or 由于

因为 can come first or after the result. 由于 almost always opens the sentence; the reason comes before what it explains.

• × 我没去，由于我太累了 → 由于太累，我没去

因为 pairs with 所以. 由于 pairs with 所以 too, and also with the written 因此 and 因而.

由于 also sits naturally before a noun phrase: 由于时间关系 "for reasons of time", 由于种种原因 "for various reasons".

鉴于 – grounds for a decision

鉴于 states a known fact, and the second half says what is being done about it: a decision, a rule, a recommendation. It doesn't introduce a natural cause and its effect.

• × 鉴于下雨，路很滑 → 由于下雨，路很滑

In conversation, 由于 and 鉴于 both become 因为.