JLPT N1Written, formalSolemn

ゆえ（に）・がゆえ（に）because (solemn)

A solemn "because", from the old noun 故ゆえ, "reason". It belongs to formal writing, speeches and stories; in conversation it sounds like a period drama. People say から or ので, and write ため.

貧まずしさゆえに、彼かれは進しん学がくをあきらめた。

Because of poverty, he gave up on continuing his education.

制せい度どが複ふく雑ざつであるがゆえに、利り用よう者しゃが申しん請せいを断だん念ねんする例れいも少すくなくない。

Because the system is so complicated, quite a few people give up on applying.

彼かれは若わかさゆえの過あやまちを長ながく悔くいた。

For a long time he regretted the mistakes he had made because he was young.

After a noun

Noun + ゆえ（に）

若わかさゆえに, 愛あいゆえに. The に is optional.

After a clause

Plain form + がゆえ（に）

知しったがゆえに, 貧まずしいがゆえに. A noun or a な-adjective takes である: 人にん間げんであるがゆえに.

Before a noun

ゆえの／がゆえの + noun

若わかさゆえの過あやまち, the mistakes of youth.

Opening a sentence

それゆえ（に）、… ／ゆえに、…

"For that reason", "therefore": the reason is what was just said.

Before it: Often something large or fateful: youth, poverty, love, rank, being human.
Tone: Grave and literary. It gives the reason weight.
Where you'll meet it: Essays, editorials, speeches, novels, period dramas.

In use

身み分ぶんの違ちがいゆえ、二人ふたりの願ねがいはかなわなかった。

Because of the difference in their rank, the two never got their wish.

真しん実じつを知しったがゆえに、彼かれは故こ郷きょうを去さることを選えらんだ。

Because he had learned the truth, he chose to leave his home town.

彼かの女じょは誠せい実じつであるがゆえに、安あん易いな妥だ協きょうを拒こばんだ。

Because she was a person of integrity, she refused any easy compromise.

未み熟じゅく者ものゆえ、至いたらぬ点てんも多おおいかと存ぞんじますが、どうぞよろしくお願ねがいいたします。

I am still inexperienced and expect to fall short in many ways, but I ask for your kind support.

Polite letters, email and greetings keep ゆえ for a humble reason about yourself: 未み熟じゅく者ものゆえ, 不ふ慣なれゆえ. There it is good manners, not drama.

Too grand for an everyday reason

Said to friends about an ordinary reason, it is mock-solemn. People do use it that way, for a joke.

Sounds odd: お腹なかがすいたがゆえに、ラーメンを食たべた。

By reason of hunger, I ate ramen.

お腹なかがすいたから.

At the start of a sentence

それゆえ（に） is a written だから. ゆえに alone is the "therefore" of logic and math.

人ひとは誰だれでも間ま違ちがえる。それゆえ、確かく認にんの仕し組くみが欠かかせない。

Everyone makes mistakes. For that reason, a system of checks is essential.

我われ思おもう、ゆえに我われあり。

I think, therefore I am.

すべての人にん間げんは死しぬ。ソクラテスは人にん間げんである。ゆえに、ソクラテスは死しぬ。

All humans are mortal. Socrates is a human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

A proof in three lines. ゆえに、 opens the last: what the first two prove.

したがってN2

The usual written "therefore", in reports and essays. ゆえに is older and grander.

この数かずは二にでも三さんでも割わり切きれる。したがって、六ろくでも割わり切きれる。

This number is divisible by both two and three. Therefore, it is also divisible by six.

Close neighbours

ため・ためにN4

The ordinary formal "because" of news, notices and reports, with nothing solemn about it. After a noun it takes の.

雪ゆきのため、電でん車しゃが遅おくれています。

Trains are running late because of the snow.

こととてN1

Just as old-fashioned, but made for asking allowances: it's our first time, we didn't know. ゆえ is a "because" for any reason.

初はじめてのこととて、行ゆき届とどかぬ点てんがございましたらご指し摘てきください。

As this is our first time, please point out anything we may have overlooked.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

貧まずしい（　　）、学がっ校こうに通かよえない子こどもたちがいる。

Choose an answer to see why.

2You are texting a friend, and you aren't joking. Which do you send?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

過か去この記き録ろくが失うしなわれたがゆえに、事じ件けんの全ぜん容ようはいまだ明あきらかではない。

Because the old records were lost, the full picture of the incident is still not clear.

限かぎられた命いのちであるがゆえの尊とうとさを、作さく者しゃは静しずかに描えがいている。

The author quietly depicts the preciousness that life has because it is finite.

信しん念ねんゆえに孤こ立りつしても、彼かれは自みずからの主しゅ張ちょうを曲まげなかった。

Even when his convictions left him isolated, he did not give up his position.

委い員いん会かいは資し金きん不ぶ足そくのゆえに、計けい画かくの中ちゅう止しを余よ儀ぎなくされた。

For want of funds, the committee was forced to cancel the plan.

A の can come between the noun and ゆえに.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "because" beyond から and ので