〜ため（に） — Because of: a formal reason | JLPT N4 grammar

Meaning

States a reason or cause in neutral or formal language.

Formation

Noun + の + ため(に): 事故のため
Plain form + ため: 雪が降ったため
Formal register: announcements, news, documents

When to use it

Core use: Because of: a formal reason

Examples

20 sentences

事故じこのため電車でんしゃが遅れおくれています
The train is delayed because of an accident.
大雪おおゆきのため学校がっこうは休みやすみです
School is closed because of heavy snow.
工事こうじのためこの道みちは通れとおれません
This road is closed because of construction.
強いつよい風かぜのため飛行機ひこうきが欠航けっこうしました
The flight was canceled because of strong winds.
熱ねつがあるため今日きょうは仕事しごとを休みやすみます
I will miss work today because I have a fever.
祭りまつりのため駅前えきまえは車くるまが通れとおれません
Cars cannot pass in front of the station because of the festival.
停電ていでんのため町まちが真っ暗まっくらになりました
The town went completely dark because of a power outage.
大雨おおあめのため川かわの水みずが増えふえています
The river is rising because of heavy rain.

12 more examples

雪ゆきのため山やまへの道みちが閉まっしまっています
The road to the mountain is closed because of snow.
設備せつび点検てんけんのためプールは利用りようできません
The pool is unavailable because of an equipment inspection.
台風たいふうが来きたため飛行機ひこうきが飛べとべませんでした
A typhoon arrived, so the plane could not take off.
雪ゆきが多いおおいため道みちが通れとおれません
There is a lot of snow, so the road is impassable.
住所じゅうしょが間違っまちがっていたため荷物にもつが届きとどきませんでした
The address was wrong, so the parcel did not arrive.
道みちが狭いせまいため車くるまが入れはいれません
The road is narrow, so cars cannot get through.
事故じこのため電車でんしゃが止まりとまりました
There was an accident, so the train stopped.
仕事しごとが忙しいいそがしいため旅行りょこうに行けいけません
Work is busy, so I cannot go on a trip.
機械きかいが故障こしょうしたため工場こうじょうが休みやすみになりました
The machinery broke down, so the factory stopped operating.
この説明せつめいが複雑ふくざつなため子どもこどもには分かりわかりません
This explanation is complicated, so children cannot understand it.
雨あめが続いつづいたため川かわの水みずが増えふえました
The rain continued, so the water level in the river rose.
停電ていでんのためパソコンが使えつかえませんでした
There was a power cut, so we could not use the computer.

Important notes

Causal ため is frequent in notices and formal explanations, including decisions.

Common mistakes

Do not confuse 雨のため (because of rain) with 合格するために勉強する (study to pass).

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

Sentence 1: 雪ゆきのため山やまへの道みちが閉まっしまっています After doing my homework, I watch TV.The road to the mountain is closed because of snow.The child came home singing a song.
Sentence 2: 事故じこのため電車でんしゃが止まりとまりました After eating breakfast, I go to school.We practiced Japanese while waiting for the train.There was an accident, so the train stopped.
Sentence 3: 停電ていでんのためパソコンが使えつかえませんでした I went to bed after taking a shower.There was a power cut, so we could not use the computer.I study while listening to music.

Similar grammar

Hear it in podcasts

The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.

バスが来ない朝N4 · 3 min 5 s