conjunction
therefore, that''s why
B1
Meaning: 'deswegen' = therefore / that's why; indicates a causal reason. A coordinating conjunction/sentence adverb (like deshalb, darum). It does not make the verb go to the end (unlike subordinating conjunctions); when placed sentence-initial the finite verb still follows (V2): 'Deswegen bin ich...'. Common in spoken and written German.
Examples
Er hat lange geübt, deswegen gewann er den Wettbewerb.
He practiced for a long time, which is why he won the competition.
Ich war krank, deswegen konnte ich nicht kommen.
I was sick, so I couldn't come.
Der Bus kam verspätet, deswegen verpasste die Gruppe den Anschluss, obwohl sie schnell zum Bahnhof rannten.
The bus arrived late, so the group missed the connection, although they ran quickly to the station.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine an arrow labeled 'deswegen' pointing from a cause to its result.
Think 'the reason' — desWEGen sounds like 'why', pointing to a cause.
Notes
Deswegen is often used in spoken and written German to link an effect to its cause; it functions like 'so'/'therefore' in English and connects main clauses (coordinating).