JLPT N1Written, literaryFor reading

んがため（に）in order to (literary)

ために in grand, old-fashioned dress: "in order to", for an aim someone would do anything to reach. The ん is an old む, "will", not a negative: 勝かたんがため is 勝かつため. It is rare, and you only need to recognize it; people say ために.

祖そ国こくの独どく立りつを勝かち取とらんがため、彼かれらは長ながい闘たたかいに身みを投とうじた。

To win independence for their homeland, they threw themselves into a long struggle.

これは民たみの命いのちを守まもらんがための決けつ断だんであった。

This was a decision made to protect the lives of the people.

How to form it

Verb ない-form: ない → んがため（に）　　する → せんがため（に）

勝かたない → 勝かたんがため, 遂とげない → 遂とげんがため. する is the one irregular: せんがため, never しんがため. The に is optional. Before a noun, んがための.

Before it: A weighty aim: winning, surviving, freeing a people. With an errand it is comic.
After it: What was done to get there, whatever it took. Not an order or a request.
Where you'll meet it: Novels, history, speeches, editorials. Not conversation.

In use

使し命めいを遂とげんがために、彼かの女じょは危き険けんを承しょう知ちで敵てき地ちへ向むかった。

In order to fulfill her mission, she headed into enemy territory, knowing the danger.

民みん衆しゅうを圧あっ政せいから解かい放ほうせんがために、彼かれらは密ひそかに組そ織しきを築きずいた。

In order to free the people from oppression, they secretly built an organization.

解かい放ほうする → 解かい放ほうせん.

真しん実じつを後こう世せいに伝つたえんがため、老ろう学がく者しゃは記き録ろくを書かき続つづけた。

To pass the truth down to later generations, the elderly scholar kept writing his record.

Three you'll meet today

Outside novels and history, it mostly survives in a few phrases.

生いきんがためin order to survive

戦せん後ごの混こん乱らんの中なか、人ひと々びとは生いきんがために必ひっ死しで働はたらいた。

In the chaos after the war, people worked desperately just to stay alive.

勝かたんがためin order to win

彼かれは勝かたんがために、あらゆる手てを尽つくした。

He tried everything he could in order to win.

売うらんがためのjust to sell

それは売うらんがための誇こ大だい広こう告こくにすぎない。

That is nothing but hype, put out just to sell the product.

Critical: selling is all that matters to them.

Close neighbours

べくN1

"In order to" in today's formal writing: news and company statements. Plainer, and far more common.

政せい府ふは地ち域いき医い療りょうを立たて直なおすべく、専せん門もん家か会かい議ぎを設せっ置ちした。

The government established an expert panel in order to rebuild regional medical services.

ためにN4

What people say, and what most writing uses too.

留りゅう学がくするために、毎まい日にち日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうしています。

I study Japanese every day in order to study abroad.

んばかりN1

"As if about to": ん on the same stem, and the meaning is not negative there either.

彼かの女じょは泣なかんばかりの顔かおで、手て紙がみを握にぎりしめていた。

She clutched the letter, looking as if she were about to burst into tears.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

彼かれらは勝かたんがために、危き険けんな作さく戦せんを選えらんだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one is right?

目もく的てきを達たっ成せい（　　）がため、彼かれは友ゆう人じんまで裏うら切ぎった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

王おう国こくを再さい建けんせんがため、各かく地ちの勢せい力りょくが同どう盟めいを結むすんだ。

To rebuild the kingdom, forces from across the land formed an alliance.

己おのれの信しん念ねんを貫つらぬかんがため、彼かれはすべての地ち位いを捨すてた。

To remain true to his convictions, he gave up every position he held.

国こく難なんを乗のり越こえんがために、対たい立りつしていた諸しょ派はも手てを結むすんだ。

In order to overcome the national crisis, even the opposing factions joined forces.

失うしなわれた領りょう土どを奪だっ還かんせんがための遠えん征せいが始はじまった。

An expedition to reclaim the lost territory began.