Ways to say "in order to" and "so that"
English says "to" whether you go to buy milk, save up to travel or need glasses to drive. Japanese has several forms, chosen by what the sentence is about: a trip, something you do, or what is needed. For anything but a trip, ために is the plain "in order to", and the one to start with.
| Form | What it says | English |
|---|---|---|
| 〜に行く | Going or coming somewhere to do something | "go to buy" |
| ために | A goal (something you decide to do) and what you do to reach it | "in order to", "for" |
| ように | A result you can't simply decide on, and what you do to get it | "so that" |
| のに | What a thing is handy for, needed for or used for | "for …ing", "it takes … to" |
| には | What a goal takes: what you must do, the best way | "to …, you need to" |
〜に行く: going somewhere to do something
Full page〜に行くN5
〜に行く is for a trip, whether you go, come or go back. What you go to do comes first, as a verb with ます taken off or as an activity noun: 買いに行く, 買い物に行く.
Tomorrow, I am going to the bank to withdraw money.
飲みに行くgo for a drink
Would you like to go for a drink tonight?
遊びに行く・来るgo out for fun; come over
Please come over to my place sometime.
ために: in order to
Full pageため・
With ために the goal comes first: something you decide to do, as a verb in the dictionary form. What you do to reach it follows. After a noun, のために is "for": your family, your health, an exam.
I study Japanese every day in order to study abroad.
I walk for thirty minutes every morning for my health.
What did you make this app for?
For an errand ために sounds heavy, and people say 〜に行く.
On signs and in announcements, ため is also a formal "because": 雪のため, "because of the snow".
ように: so that
Full pageようにN4
With ように the result you want comes first, then what you do to get it. It is for a result you can't simply decide on. So the verb before it is mostly a "can" form or a negative, or it says what another person or a thing does.
I practice a little every day so that I can read kanji.
The teacher explained it in simple words so that the international students could follow it too.
Take care not to catch a cold.
ないように気をつける is "take care not to".
ために or ように?
Both are followed by what you do, so the choice turns on what comes before.
I'm saving up to go to Japan.
Going is something you decide.
Not said: 日本へ
(I'm saving up to go to Japan.)
ように doesn't fit your own decision.
I'm saving up so that I can go to Japan.
Being able to go is a result.
A negative usually takes ように. ないために is also said, when not doing something is your goal: 忘れないために、メモを取ります.
のに: what something is handy or needed for
Full pageのにN4
のに after a verb in the dictionary form is "for doing". After it comes a word for handy, good, needed or used, or for the time or money something takes.
のに便利handy for
This dictionary is handy for looking up technical terms.
のに使うuse for
This brush is for washing narrow bottles.
のに必要needed for
My father needs glasses to drive safely.
のに…かかるit takes … to
It takes twenty minutes to walk to the station.
Without such a word, のに is almost always "even though".
には: what a goal takes
Full pageにはN3
には names a goal and says what it takes: what you need, what you must do, the best way. It is also how you ask the way, or how to do something. ためには means the same as には, and is the one after a negative or a noun: 忘れないためには, 健康のためには.
How do I get to the station?
To use this machine safely, you need to read the manual carefully.
ために, のに or には?
All three follow a verb in the dictionary form. What comes after is different.
I study every day in order to pass the exam.
After ために comes what you do. Passing is your goal.
This book helped me pass the exam.
After のに comes what helped.
To pass the exam, you have to study with a plan.
After には comes what passing takes.
For something you need, or the time something takes, のに and には are both said. のに just states the fact. With には the sentence is about the goal, so it is the usual one in advice and instructions.
Where it goes wrong
English "to" goes with any verb, and learners say 〜に when the verb at the end isn't a verb of going or coming.
Not said: 日本語を
(I bought a book to study Japanese.)
日本語を勉強するために、本を買いました.
Learners who know ために say it for a result too.
I speak loudly so that the people at the back can hear too.
What other people hear is a result.
Not said: 後ろの
(I speak loudly so that the people at the back can hear too.)
ために doesn't fit: you can't decide what they hear.
After には comes what the goal takes, not a report of what someone is doing.
Not said: やせるには、
(I run every morning to lose weight.)
やせるために、毎朝走っています.
In formal and literary Japanese
上でN2Written and careful speech
"For doing" in careful speech and writing: what is needed or important in doing something.
Protective glasses are essential for working safely.
べくN1Written, formal
The ために of formal writing: news, official notices, company statements.
All of us at the company will do our utmost to live up to your expectations.
んがため（に）N1Written, literary
ために in novels and history books, for an aim someone would do anything to reach. Its ん is not a negative: 勝たんがため is 勝つため.
He tried everything he could in order to win.
Other things "to" can mean
つもりだN5
"I'm going to", as a plan, is the verb by itself or つもりだ. 〜に行く is always a real trip.
I intend to get up at six tomorrow.
ように言う・頼むN4
"Tell someone to" and "ask someone to" are ように too, with 言う or 頼む.
My mother told my little brother to call when he got home.