JLPT N3EverydayBlaming

せいで・せいだbecause of; the fault of

Something turned out badly, and you put the blame on a person or a thing: "because of", "the fault of". Its mirror image is おかげで, which gives the credit.

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.

会かい議ぎが混こん乱らんしたのは、資し料りょうの数すう字じが間ま違ちがっていたせいだ。

The meeting fell into confusion, and the wrong figures in the handout were to blame.

How to form it

Noun + の + せいで　／　Plain form + せいで

雨あめのせいで, 寝ね坊ぼうしたせいで, 寒さむかったせいで. A な-adjective takes な: 曖あい昧まいなせいで. At the end of a sentence it is せいだ or せいです.

Blame for a bad result

What follows is something you didn't want, very often a "couldn't" or a てしまった. The blame can go to the weather or bad luck, or to yourself, which is owning up. Pinned on a person, as in あなたのせいで, it is an accusation.

渋じゅう滞たいのせいで、空くう港こうへの到とう着ちゃくが遅おくれた。

Because of the traffic, we were late getting to the airport.

隣となりの部屋へやがうるさかったせいで、ほとんど眠ねむれなかった。

Because the room next door was noisy, I could hardly sleep.

説せつ明めいが曖あい昧まいなせいで、申もうし込こみ書しょを間ま違ちがえて書かいてしまった。

Because the explanation was vague, I ended up filling out the application form wrong.

私わたしの確かく認にん不ぶ足そくのせいで、注ちゅう文もんが遅おくれた。

The order was late because I didn't check properly.

English "because of" takes no side. せいで always blames, so with good news it turns your thanks into blame.

Not said: 先せん生せいのせいで、日本にほん語ごが上手じょうずになりました。

(I got good at Japanese because of my teacher.)

This blames the teacher. It is 先せん生せいのおかげで.

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: せいだ

To name what is to blame, the bad result comes first with のは, and the sentence ends on せいだ.

私わたしが約やく束そくの時じ間かんに遅おくれたのは、目め覚ざましをセットし忘わすれたせいだ。

It was because I forgot to set my alarm that I was late for the appointment.

Phrases you'll hear

私わたしのせいmy fault

ごめん、全ぜん部ぶ私わたしのせいだ。

Sorry, it's all my fault.

To comfort someone: あなたのせいじゃないよ, "it's not your fault".

〜のせいにするblame it on

自じ分ぶんのミスを人ひとのせいにするな。

Don't blame your own mistakes on other people.

気きのせいjust your imagination

たぶん気きのせいだよ。

It's probably just your imagination.

せいか: maybe because

With か the blame turns into a guess, "maybe it's because". Most often the result is still unwelcome, but this one can come before good news too.

年としのせいか、最さい近きん疲つかれやすい。

Maybe it's my age, but I get tired easily these days.

よく寝ねたせいか、今日きょうは体からだが軽かるい。

Maybe it's because I slept well, but I feel light on my feet today.

Close neighbours

おかげでN3

The mirror image: credit for a good result.

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.

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 sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

暑あつさのせいか、最さい近きん食しょく欲よくがない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

強つよい風かぜのせいで、電でん車しゃが一いち時じ間かんも止とまった。

Because of the strong wind, the trains stopped for a whole hour.

隣となりで工こう事じをしているせいで、オンライン会かい議ぎに集しゅう中ちゅうできない。

Because of the construction going on next door, I can't concentrate on my online meetings.

冷れい房ぼうが壊こわれたせいで、部屋へやで作さ業ぎょうできなかった。

Because the air conditioner broke, I couldn't work in the room.

パソコンが急きゅうに動うごかなくなった。停てい電でんのせいだ。

The computer suddenly stopped working. The power outage is to blame.

Compared with similar forms

Thanks to, the fault of, all because