JLPT N3EverydayGrateful

おかげで・おかげだthanks to

Something turned out well, and you give the credit to a person or a thing: "thanks to". Its mirror image is せいで, which lays the blame.

先せん生せいのおかげで、試し験けんに合ごう格かくできた。

Thanks to my teacher, I passed the exam.

無ぶ事じに卒そつ業ぎょうできたのは、家か族ぞくの支ささえのおかげだ。

It's thanks to my family's support that I managed to graduate.

How to form it

Noun + の + おかげで　／　Plain form + おかげで

薬くすりのおかげで, 練れん習しゅうしたおかげで, よかったおかげで. A な-adjective takes な: 静しずかなおかげで. At the end of a sentence it is おかげだ or おかげです.

Credit for a good result

What follows is something you are glad about, very often a "was able to". The credit can go to a person, to the weather or good luck, or to your own hard work. When someone did it for you, the verb before it usually ends in てくれた.

田た中なかさんが資し料りょうを直なおしてくれたおかげで、発はっ表ぴょうに間まに合あった。

Thanks to Tanaka fixing the materials for me, I was ready in time for the presentation.

天てん気きがよかったおかげで、山さん頂ちょうから海うみまで見みえた。

Thanks to the good weather, we could see all the way to the sea from the summit.

毎まい日にち練れん習しゅうしたおかげで、最さい後ごまで走はしり切きれた。

Thanks to training every day, I managed to run the whole way.

この薬くすりのおかげで、昨夜ゆうべはよく眠ねむれた。

Thanks to this medicine, I slept well last night.

おかげで or せいで?

Both are "because of" with a judgment added. おかげで says the result is good and gives the credit. せいで says it is bad and lays the blame.

雨あめのおかげで、試し合あいが中ちゅう止しになった。

Thanks to the rain, the game was called off.

You didn't want to play.

雨あめのせいで、試し合あいが中ちゅう止しになった。

Because of the rain, the game was called off.

You did.

With no judgment either way, it is 雨あめで or 雨あめが降ふったので.

At the end: おかげだ

To name what deserves the credit, the good result comes first with のは, and the sentence ends on おかげだ.

チームがここまで成せい長ちょうできたのは、皆みなさんの応おう援えんのおかげです。

It's thanks to all your support that the team has come this far.

Phrases you'll hear

おかげさまでthankfully; thanks for asking

おかげさまで、元げん気きにしています。

I'm doing well, thank you.

A polite reply when someone asks how you are or congratulates you. They don't have to have done anything.

〜のおかげですI owe it to you

本ほん当とうに先せん生せいのおかげです。

I really do owe it all to you.

Said to your teacher's face: a warm thank-you.

おかげでthanks to that

おかげで助たすかりました。

That was a real help, thank you.

It can open a sentence with nothing before it.

With a bad result, it is sarcasm

Said about something bad, おかげで has an edge, like a cutting "thanks to you" in English.

君きみが何なん度ども話はなしを遮さえぎってくれたおかげで、会かい議ぎが一いち時じ間かんも延のびたよ。

Thanks to you interrupting again and again, the meeting ran a whole hour over.

Close neighbours

せいでN3

The mirror image: blame for a bad result.

寝ね坊ぼうしたせいで、学がっ校こうに遅ち刻こくした。

Because I overslept, I was late for school.

のでN5

Plain "because". It gives the reason and takes no side.

雨あめが降ふっているので、家いえにいます。

It's raining, so I'm staying home.

ため・ためにN4

The formal "because" of notices and news. It takes no side either.

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.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

友とも達だちが手て伝つだってくれた（　　）、引ひっ越こしが早はやく終おわった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Your friend says this about her brother. How does she mean it?

弟おとうとのおかげで、終しゅう電でんに乗のり遅おくれたよ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

With か the credit turns into a guess, "maybe it's thanks to".

薬くすりのおかげか、熱ねつが下さがった。

Maybe it's thanks to the medicine, but my fever has gone down.

More sentences

先せん生せいが丁てい寧ねいに説せつ明めいしてくれたおかげで、問もん題だいが理り解かいできました。

Thanks to the teacher's careful explanation, I was able to understand the problem.

道みちが空すいていたおかげで、予よ定ていより早はやく着ついた。

Thanks to the clear roads, I arrived earlier than planned.

部屋へやが静しずかなおかげで、仕し事ごとに集しゅう中ちゅうできる。

Thanks to the room being quiet, I can concentrate on my work.

朝あさ早はやく出でたおかげで、混こん雑ざつを避さけられた。

Thanks to leaving early in the morning, I was able to avoid the crowds.

Compared with similar forms

Thanks to, the fault of, all because