Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 20/22

お陰(かげ)で

Thanks to, Because of

Structure

Verb + おかげで
［い］Adjective + おかげで
［な］Adjective + な + おかげで
Noun + の + おかげで

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About おかげで

おかげで (or お陰(かげ)で in kanji) is an expression that is used to show thanks or appreciation in Japanese. It is usually translated simply as 'thanks to (A)', or 'because of (A)'. おかげで is a combination of the polite prefix お, the noun 陰(かげ) 'shade', and the case marking particle で.

おかげで can be used after any word in its attributive form.

Literally, お陰(かげ)で means 'in the shade of (A)'. This implies that (B) was only made possible due to (A) creating the ideal situation for it to occur.

Caution

おかげで may sometimes be used sarcastically, in the same way as 'thanks to (A)' in English. In these sentences, it is usually quite clear from the context/tone of voice that the actual meaning is negative.

  • お前(まえ)が変(へん)な事(こと)言(い)ったおかげで、俺(おれ)が言(い)いたい事(こと)を忘(わす)れちゃったじゃん！
    Thanks to you saying something weird, I forgot what I wanted to say! (Sarcasm)
  • あいつのおかげでまた残業(ざんぎょう)だよ。
    We have to work overtime again thanks to him. (Sarcasm)

Fun Fact

おかげで is often used at the beginning of a sentence in the same way as 'thankfully' or 'luckily' in English. This just means that whatever comes after おかげで happened, despite negative outcomes also being possible.

  • おかげで、テストに合格(ごうかく)することができました。
    Thankfully, I was able to pass my test.
  • おかげで、いい休暇(きゅうか)を過(す)ごせました。
    Thanks to you, I was able to enjoy a nice holiday.

Examples

--:--

    勉強(べんきょう)をしたお陰(かげ)で、試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)した。

    I passed the test thanks to studying.

    文(ぶん)プロのお陰(かげ)で文法(ぶんぽう)を理解(りかい)できるようになってきた。

    Thanks to Bunpro, I am starting to understand grammar.

    彼(かれ)の運転(うんてん)の仕方(しかた)が上手(じょうず)なお陰(かげ)で、ちょうど間(ま)に合(あ)った

    Thanks to his skillful driving, we arrived on time.

    オニヅカ先生(せんせい)に日本語(にほんご)を教(おし)えてもらったお陰(かげ)で、ぺらぺらと話(はな)せるようになった。

    Thanks to Onizuka-sensei teaching me Japanese, I have come to speak it fluently.

    お陰(かげ)で助(たす)かったよ。来(き)てくれてありがとう。

    Thanks to you, I was saved. Thank you for coming.

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