「ため」- Expressing Cause

Explanation

In Japanese, ため is an important grammar point primarily used to express cause or reason. It typically follows the plain form of verbs, adjectives, and nouns, serving to connect a cause with its resulting effect.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
Verb Plain Form + ため	Verb Plain Form + ため	Indicates the cause of an action or state.
い-Adjective Plain Form + ため	い-Adjective Plain Form + ため	Indicates the cause of the state described by the adjective.
Noun + の + ため	Noun + の + ため	Indicates the cause related to the noun.

Basic Usage

ため is used to express a cause or reason, where the result in the latter part of the sentence is caused by the preceding reason. In many cases, the result is negative.

Examples

• 大おお雨あめのため、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしされた。
• Ooame no tame, shiai wa chuushi sareta.
• Because of the heavy rain, the match was canceled.
  

• 電車でんしゃが遅おくれたため、遅刻ちこくしてしまいました。
• Densha ga okureta tame, chikoku shite shimaimashita.
• Because the train was delayed, I ended up being late.
  

• 道みちが混こんでいるため、少々しょうしょう遅おくれるかもしれません。
• Michi ga konde iru tame, shoushou okureru kamoshiremasen.
• Because the road is congested, I might be slightly late.
  

Deep Dive

ため is mainly used in written language to emphasize a cause-and-effect relationship, especially when the result is unfavorable. Compared to other expressions of cause, ため is more formal and literary.

Real-Life Scenarios

Dialogue Examples

• Office Conversation:
  • A：どうして今日は遅おくれたの？
  • B：電車でんしゃが遅おくれたため、遅刻ちこくしてしまいました。
  • A: Why were you late today?
  • B: Because the train was delayed, I ended up being late.
    
• Conversation Between Friends:
  • A：どうして昨日きのう来こなかったの？
  • B：風邪かぜを引ひいたため、家いえにいました。
  • A: Why didn’t you come yesterday?
  • B: Because I caught a cold, I stayed at home.
    

Common Mistakes

• ため does not always indicate a negative result, although it often does. Understanding the context is key to using it accurately.
• Sometimes ため might be mistakenly used to express purpose, but it is primarily used to indicate cause.

Summary

ため is a highly practical grammar point used to express cause or reason, especially in written Japanese. Understanding its usage and distinguishing it from other expressions of cause will help improve your Japanese language skills.