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JLPT N3 · Reason & cause

ように (you ni)

～ように — “so that ～ / in order that ～”

In short · Shows the purpose of an action: you do the main action so that a desired state happens (or an undesired one does not). It attaches to the dictionary form or ない-form of a verb, often a potential or non-volitional verb, then the action follows.
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Pattern

  • 動詞辞書形／可能形＋ように＋行動 so that ～ can happen
  • 動詞ない形＋ように＋行動 so that ～ won’t happen

Purpose with a state

Before ように comes a state that is not directly controlled by the speaker, such as 聞こえる, 忘れない, 起きない. 後ろの人にも聞こえるように、大きい声で話した: loud so that it can be heard.

Preventing a bad result

With ない-form it means “so that ～ won’t happen”: 忘れないように、メモした. The main clause is the speaker’s deliberate action.

Difference from ために

ために attaches to actions that the same person controls (勉強するために留学する). ように is for things that happen on their own or involve another person’s action (potential, ない-form, 聞こえる). The subjects of the two clauses are often different.

Examples

  • 後（うし）ろの人（ひと）にも聞（き）こえるように、大（おお）きい声（こえ）で話（はな）した。

    Ushiro no hito ni mo kikoeru you ni, ookii koe de hanashita.

    I spoke loudly so the people in back could hear.

  • 忘（わす）れないように、手帳（てちょう）に予定（よてい）を書（か）いておいた。

    Wasurenai you ni, techou ni yotei o kaite oita.

    I wrote the plan in my notebook so that I wouldn’t forget.

  • 赤（あか）ちゃんが起（お）きないように、そっとドアを閉（し）めた。

    Akachan ga okinai you ni, sotto doa o shimeta.

    I closed the door gently so that the baby wouldn’t wake up.

Common mistakes

  • Do not use it right after a volitional verb of the same subject (×行くように勉強する). Use ために there.
  • Do not confuse it with ～ようになる and ～ようにする, which are different patterns.

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