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JLPT N3 · Reason & cause

おかげで (okage de)

～おかげで — thanks to ～

In short · Gives the cause of a good result, with a feeling of gratitude: “thanks to ～.” It follows a noun + の or a plain-form clause. The result is something favorable that has already happened.
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Pattern

  • 名詞＋の＋おかげで noun + のおかげで (先生のおかげで)
  • 普通形＋おかげで plain form + おかげで (手伝ってくれたおかげで)

Meaning and connection

As in 先生のおかげで合格できた, it gives the reason for a good result while thanking a person or situation. Nouns take の, and verbs and adjectives take the plain form (na-adjectives take な, and nouns in the past take だった).

Compared with せいで

For the cause of a bad result, use せいで. おかげで is basically for good results. It can be used ironically for a bad result (あなたのおかげで遅れた), but then it is blame, not thanks.

Examples

  • 先生（せんせい）のおかげで、試験（しけん）に合格（ごうかく）できました。

    Sensei no okage de, shiken ni gōkaku dekimashita.

    Thanks to my teacher, I was able to pass the exam.

    Noun + の + おかげで.

  • 天気（てんき）がよかったおかげで、遠（とお）くの山（やま）まで見（み）えた。

    Tenki ga yokatta okage de, tōku no yama made mieta.

    Thanks to the good weather, we could see all the way to the distant mountains.

    Plain past form + おかげで.

  • みんなが手伝（てつだ）ってくれたおかげで、引（ひ）っ越（こ）しが早（はや）く終（お）わった。

    Minna ga tetsudatte kureta okage de, hikkoshi ga hayaku owatta.

    Thanks to everyone helping, the move finished quickly.

    A natural pair with 〜てくれた.

Common mistakes

  • Do not forget の with nouns: × 先生おかげで, ○ 先生のおかげで.
  • For a bad result use せいで. Using おかげで for one sounds sarcastic.

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