Purpose & Cause — べく/んがため（に）/ゆえ（に）/とあって/こととて/にかこつけて
This lesson covers N1 grammar for purpose and cause. For purpose, 「べく」 and 「んがため（に）」 are both written versions of 「ために」: 「べく」 is typical of news and formal writing, while 「んがため」 is older and stronger, with a sense of "determined to… at any cost". The four for cause each have their own character: 「ゆえ（に）」 is a classical-flavoured "because"; 「とあって」 says "because it's the special situation A, B (naturally) happened", common in news reports; 「こととて」 is used when apologising or asking forgiveness: "since…, (I couldn't do it properly)"; and 「にかこつけて」 means "using A as an excuse (to do what one really wants)". On the test, watch that the purpose patterns never take a request or command in the main clause, and that each cause pattern fits its own tone and setting.
Vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 単身 | たんしん | n alone; on one's owngoing somewhere without family or companions単身赴任 working away from one's family単身で渡米する to go to America alone |
| 食い止める | くいとめる | v, trans. to check; to stop (something spreading)keeping a bad situation from getting worse被害を食い止める to contain the damage感染拡大を食い止める to halt the spread of infection |
| 打ち出す | うちだす | v, trans. to set out; to announce (a policy, plan)putting forward a clear course of action方針を打ち出す to set out a policy対策を打ち出す to unveil measures |
| 復旧 | ふっきゅう | n, suru-verb restoration; recoverygetting damaged facilities or services working again復旧作業 repair work電気が復旧する power is restored |
| 突き止める | つきとめる | v, trans. to find out; to track downpursuing something until the truth or whereabouts is clear原因を突き止める to pin down the cause居場所を突き止める to track down someone's whereabouts |
| 講じる | こうじる | v, trans. to take (measures)formal; the object is usually 対策, 手段 or 措置対策を講じる to take measuresあらゆる手段を講じる to use every means available |
| 押し付ける | おしつける | v, trans. to force on; to push ontodumping responsibility, work or opinions on someone else責任を押し付ける to shift the blame意見を押し付ける to force one's views on others |
| 赴く | おもむく | v, intrans. to go to; to proceed toformal, usually of going somewhere on a mission任地に赴く to take up a post現地に赴く to go to the site |
| 過ち | あやまち | n mistake; wrongdoinga moral or judgement error, weightier than 間違い過ちを犯す to make a mistake過ちを認める to admit one's fault |
| 口うるさい | くちうるさい | i-adj nagging; fussygoing on and on about small things口うるさい母親 a nagging mother口うるさく注意する to keep telling someone off |
| 前例 | ぜんれい | n precedenta previous case of the same kind前例がない unprecedented前例にならう to follow precedent |
| 詰めかける | つめかける | v, intrans. to throng; to crowd into; 「ファンが詰めかける」 fans flock to |
| 沸く | わく | v, intrans. to go wild; to be in an uproarliterally "to boil", here of crowds getting excited会場が沸く the hall erupts優勝に沸く to celebrate a championship |
| 大目に見る | おおめにみる | idiom to overlook; to let offnot being too hard on someone's fault今回は大目に見る to let it go this time子どものいたずらを大目に見る to turn a blind eye to a child's mischief |
| 何分 | なにぶん | adv after all; I'm afraidgiving an unavoidable reason when asking for understanding; formal何分初めてのことで it being our first time何分よろしくお願いいたします I would be most grateful for your kind consideration |
| 接待 | せったい | n, suru-verb business entertainingwining and dining clients接待ゴルフ golf with clients取引先を接待する to entertain a client |
1. 〜べく ~beku (In order to…)
Conjugation
- Verb dictionary form + べく
- する → すべく／するべく (「すべく」 is more common)
※ Written style — news reports, official documents, formal writing. Unrelated to 「なるべく」 ("as far as possible").
Meaning
"In order to…". The subject takes action B to achieve aim A. It's the written version of 「ために」, with a formal, resolute ring.
Restrictions:
- A is something the subject consciously aims to achieve, so it takes a volitional verb: ❌ 「雨が降るべく〜」.
- The main clause is an action the subject actually takes (done or ongoing), not a request, command or invitation: ❌ 「合格すべく、毎日勉強しなさい」 → ⭕ 「合格するために、毎日勉強しなさい」.
- In everyday speech use 「ために」; 「べく」 sounds stiff.
Example Sentences
- 彼は夢を実現すべく、単身アメリカへ渡った。(To make his dream come true, he went to America on his own.)
- 政府は景気の悪化を食い止めるべく、大規模な経済対策を打ち出した。(To halt the economic downturn, the government unveiled a large-scale stimulus package.)
- 被災地の復旧を急ぐべく、全国から多くのボランティアが集まった。(Volunteers gathered from across the country to speed up recovery in the disaster zone.)
- 新記録を達成すべく、選手たちは厳しい練習を重ねている。(The athletes are training hard in order to set a new record.)
- 真相を突き止めるべく、記者は関係者への取材を続けた。(To get to the truth, the reporter kept interviewing the people involved.)
Comparison
| Expression | Attaches to | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| べく | dictionary form (すべく) | Written; the main clause is an action the subject actually takes |
| ために | dictionary form / noun + の | The everyday "in order to"; the main clause can be a request or command (N5 Lesson 15) |
| ように | dictionary, nai- or potential form | Usually with a non-volitional verb or the potential form: "so that one can…" (N4 Lesson 21) |
❌ 早く治るべく、薬を飲んでください → ⭕ 早く治るように、薬を飲んでください (「治る」 is non-volitional, and the main clause is a request)
There is also the set pattern 「〜べくして〜た」 (what was bound to happen did happen): 「事故は起こるべくして起こった」 = the accident was bound to happen. It's not the purpose use — keep them apart.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
2. 〜んがため（に）/〜んがための ~n ga tame (ni) / ~n ga tame no (For the sake of… / Determined to…)
Conjugation
- Verb nai-stem + んがため（に）／んがための + noun
- する → せんがため, 来る → こんがため
※ This 「ん」 comes from the classical volitional 「む」 — it is not a negative. Common combinations: 「生きんがため」, 「勝たんがため」, 「売らんがため」 (「売らんがための商業主義」 = commercialism that cares only about selling).
Meaning
"For the sake of…" or "determined to… at any cost". It expresses a fierce resolve to achieve A, older and heavier than 「べく」. Often used to criticise "doing anything at all to get A" or to describe "giving everything for A".
Restrictions:
- Very literary; almost never used in everyday conversation.
- The main clause can't be a request or command: ❌ 「勝たんがために、全力を尽くしてください」.
- The frame 「〜のは〜んがためだ」 ("the reason one did… was to…") is common.
Example Sentences
- 彼が昼も夜も必死に働いたのは、家族を守らんがためだった。(The reason he worked desperately day and night was to protect his family.)
- 生き残らんがために、企業はあらゆる手段を講じている。(Companies are trying every means available just to survive.)
- 勝たんがための反則行為は、断じて許されるものではない。(Foul play for the sake of winning can never be tolerated.)
- 自らの立場を守らんがために、彼は部下に責任を押し付けた。(To protect his own position, he pushed the blame onto his subordinates.)
- 戦争の真実を伝えんがため、彼女はあえて危険な戦地に赴いた。(Determined to tell the truth about the war, she deliberately went to a dangerous war zone.)
Comparison
| Expression | Attaches to | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| んがため（に） | nai-stem (せんがため) | Oldest and strongest; can modify a noun with 「の + noun」 |
| べく | dictionary form (すべく) | Written; common in news; can't modify a noun directly |
| ために | dictionary form | The everyday form, with the fewest restrictions |
The forms are tested: 「勝つ」 → 勝たんがため／勝つべく／勝つために; 「する」 → せんがため／すべく／するために.
❌ 勝つんがため ❌ 勝たべく — the two most common mistakes.
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3. 〜ゆえ（に）/〜ゆえの ~yue (ni) / ~yue no (Because of… / Owing to…)
Conjugation
- Noun (の) + ゆえ（に）／ゆえの + noun
- Verb / i-adjective plain form + （が）ゆえ（に）
- Na-adjective stem + な／である + （が）ゆえ（に）
- Noun + である + がゆえ（に）
※ Written in kanji as 「故（に）」. The most typical use is an abstract noun + ゆえ: 「若さゆえの過ち」, 「貧しさゆえに」. At the start of a sentence, 「ゆえに」 = "therefore" (common in essays and mathematical proofs).
Meaning
"Because of…" or "owing to…". It gives a reason with a classical flavour, more formal than 「ため」. It's often used for "it's precisely because of quality A that B came about", where B is a natural result of A.
Restrictions:
- Written style — commentary, essays, fiction; in everyday conversation it sounds grand or humorous.
- The main clause is fairly free — a fact, judgement or necessity (「〜必要がある」) — but rarely a request or command.
- 「ゆえの + noun」 forms set phrases: 「若さゆえの過ち」, 「人気ゆえの悩み」.
Example Sentences
- 若さゆえの過ちとはいえ、彼のしたことは簡単に許されるものではない。(Even if it was a mistake of youth, what he did can't be easily forgiven.)
- 貧しさゆえに、学校に通えない子どもたちが世界にはまだ大勢いる。(There are still many children in the world who can't go to school because of poverty.)
- 彼は正直であるがゆえに、損をすることも少なくない。(Precisely because he is honest, he often ends up losing out.)
- 親は子を思うがゆえに、つい口うるさくなってしまうものだ。(It's because parents care about their children that they end up nagging.)
- 前例のない試みゆえ、慎重に進める必要がある。(As this is an unprecedented undertaking, we need to proceed with care.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| ゆえ（に） | because of… | Classical flavour; usually a quality of A leading to B |
| ために (cause) | because of… | Formal but neutral; usually an objective cause (N3 Lesson 37) |
| ばこそ | precisely because… | Stresses "this reason, and no other"; usually a positive reason (N2 Lesson 60) |
「貧しさゆえに進学をあきらめた」= gave up on further education because of poverty (a quality of A → result)
「台風のために電車が止まった」= the trains stopped because of the typhoon (an objective cause; ゆえ would sound overly literary)
「子を思えばこそ厳しくする」= it's because I care about my child that I'm strict (stressing the motive)
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
4. 〜とあって ~to atte (Because it is… / Being…)
Conjugation
- Noun + とあって
- Verb / i-adjective plain form + とあって
- Na-adjective stem + とあって
※ The 「だ」 after a noun or na-adjective is normally dropped. Very common in news reports.
Meaning
"Because it is… (a special situation)". A is something special and worth noting (a long weekend, free entry, a first time, a celebrity visiting…), and B is the scene or reaction that naturally follows.
Restrictions:
- The main clause is an observed fact that has happened or is happening — never the speaker's intention, wish or command: ❌ 「休日とあって、ゆっくり寝ようと思う」.
- Mostly describes other people or the scene, often with words like 「大勢の」, 「にぎわう」, 「詰めかける」 or 「いつになく」.
- A has to be a special situation, not an ordinary reason: △ 「雨とあって、傘を持っていった」 (say 「雨なので」).
Example Sentences
- 連休の初日とあって、高速道路は朝から大渋滞となった。(It being the first day of a long weekend, the expressways were jammed from the morning.)
- 人気歌手が来日するとあって、空港には大勢のファンが詰めかけた。(With a popular singer arriving in Japan, crowds of fans thronged the airport.)
- 十年ぶりの優勝とあって、地元の商店街は大いに沸いた。(It being their first title in ten years, the local shopping street went wild.)
- 入場無料とあって、会場は朝から家族連れでにぎわっている。(With free admission, the venue has been busy with families since the morning.)
- 初めての海外出張とあって、彼はいつになく緊張した様子だった。(It being his first business trip abroad, he seemed more nervous than usual.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Main clause |
|---|---|---|
| とあって | because it's… (a special situation) | an observed fact or scene; common in news |
| とあれば | if it's… (a special reason) | hypothetical; can be will or resolve (Lesson 81) |
| だけあって | as you'd expect of… | praise that matches A's status or effort (N2 Lesson 60) |
「人気店とあって、行列ができている」= it's a popular place, so there's a queue (special situation → observed scene)
「人気店だけあって、味は確かだ」= as you'd expect of a popular place, the food is really good (fitting praise)
「人気店の料理とあれば、一度は食べてみたい」= if it's food from that popular place, I'd like to try it once (hypothetical + wish)
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5. 〜こととて ~koto to te (Since… / As it was… [apologetic])
Conjugation
- Noun + の + こととて
- Verb / i-adjective plain form + こととて
- Na-adjective stem + な + こととて
- Verb nai-stem + ぬこととて (classical negative, as in 「慣れぬこととて」, 「知らぬこととて」)
※ Old-fashioned, formal written style. Often paired with 「何分（なにぶん）」.
Meaning
"Since… (I couldn't do it properly — please forgive me)". It gives an unavoidable reason, and the main clause is usually an apology, a plea for forgiveness or an explanation that it couldn't be helped. In narrative it can also mean "it being…", with a literary feel.
Restrictions:
- The typical main clause is an apology or request: 「申し訳ありません」, 「失礼いたしました」, 「お許しください」, 「大目に見てください」.
- It isn't used for a positive, deliberate result: ❌ 「休みのこととて、旅行に行こう」.
- Rare in speech; for everyday apologies 「〜ので」 or 「〜もので」 is enough.
Example Sentences
- 慣れぬこととて、何かとご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ございません。(As I am new to this, I apologise for the trouble I have caused you in various ways.)
- 何分急なこととて、十分なおもてなしもできず失礼いたしました。(As it was all so sudden, I'm sorry we could not welcome you properly.)
- 子どものしたこととて、どうか大目に見ていただけないでしょうか。(As it was only a child who did it, could you possibly overlook it?)
- 何分昔のこととて、詳しいことはもう覚えておりません。(It being so long ago, I'm afraid I no longer remember the details.)
- 早朝のこととて、駅前にはまだ人影もまばらだった。(It being early morning, there were still only a few people about in front of the station.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| こととて | since… (please forgive me) | Old-fashioned and formal; usually followed by an apology |
| ものだから／もので | because… (excuse) | A spoken excuse or explanation (N2 Lesson 60) |
| ことだから | knowing (that person)… | A guess based on what someone is like — 「彼のことだから、きっと来る」 — a completely different meaning |
「不慣れなこととて、失礼いたしました」= as I'm not used to this, please excuse me (a formal apology)
「慣れていないもので、すみません」= sorry, I'm not used to it yet (spoken)
「真面目な彼のことだから、遅刻はしないだろう」= he's so conscientious he probably won't be late (a guess)
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
6. 〜にかこつけて ~ni kakotsukete (Using… as an excuse / On the pretext of…)
Conjugation
- Noun + にかこつけて
※ 「かこつける」 is written 「託ける」 and means "to use as a pretext".
Meaning
"Using… as an excuse" or "on the pretext of…". On the surface it's because of A, but really it's to do what the person wants, B. There's no real link between A and B.
Restrictions:
- It carries a sense of "making excuses" — usually criticism or teasing of someone else's behaviour, or a bit of self-mockery when about oneself.
- A is usually a legitimate reason or occasion (a business trip, a birthday, work, feeling unwell…), and B is what the person wants to do or avoid.
- It isn't used for a real cause: ❌ 「台風にかこつけて、電車が止まった」.
Example Sentences
- 部長は出張にかこつけて、地方の温泉巡りを楽しんでいる。(The department head uses business trips as an excuse to tour hot springs around the country.)
- 彼は体調不良にかこつけて、面倒な会議を欠席した。(He skipped a tiresome meeting, using feeling unwell as an excuse.)
- 子どもの教育にかこつけて、自分が欲しかったパソコンを買ってしまった。(Using my child's education as an excuse, I bought the computer I'd wanted for myself.)
- 接待にかこつけて、会社の金で高級店に通う社員もいる。(Some employees use client entertaining as an excuse to frequent expensive places on the company's money.)
- 父の誕生日にかこつけて、久しぶりに家族全員で集まった。(Using Dad's birthday as an excuse, the whole family got together for the first time in ages.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| にかこつけて | using… as an excuse | A is the pretext, B what one really wants; slightly critical |
| を口実に | on the pretext of… | Almost the same; says more bluntly "that was just an excuse" |
| をきっかけに | prompted by… | A really did trigger the change; no sense of an excuse (N2 Lesson 63) |
「出張にかこつけて観光する」= to go sightseeing on the pretext of a business trip (an excuse)
「出張をきっかけにその町が好きになった」= a business trip got me to love that town (a real trigger)
On the test, if 「にかこつけて」 is an option, check whether A is a respectable surface reason and B something the person wanted to do anyway.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
Practice
Part 1: Choose the appropriate grammar (べく / んがため / ゆえ / とあって / こととて / にかこつけて / だけあって / ように)
- 新しい市場を開拓す（ ）、同社は海外に支社を設立した。
- 夏休み最初の週末（ ）、海水浴場は大勢の人でにぎわった。
- 不慣れな（ ）、行き届かない点もあるかと存じますが、ご容赦ください。
- 彼は取引先との会食（ ）、毎晩のように飲み歩いている。
- 子を思う（ ）、親はつい厳しいことを言ってしまう。
- 自分の利益を得（ ）、事実をねじ曲げるのは許されない。
- さすがプロの料理人（ ）、包丁さばきが見事だ。
- 風邪が早く治る（ ）、温かくして寝てください。
Part 2: Translate into Japanese
- To find out the cause of the accident, the investigation committee is analysing the data. (Use べく)
- The reason he worked so desperately was to get ahead in life. (Use んがため)
- Precisely because he is famous, his every move attracts attention. (Use ゆえに)
- It being their first official match, the players were all nervous. (Use とあって)
- As it was so sudden, we couldn't prepare properly — we're very sorry. (Use こととて)
- He took three days off work, using a cold as an excuse. (Use にかこつけて)
Answers
- べく (the blank follows 「開拓す」, giving 「すべく」; んがため would need 「開拓せんがため」 and doesn't fit)
- とあって
- こととて (the main clause 「ご容赦ください」 asks for forgiveness — the classic use of こととて; ゆえ rarely takes a request)
- にかこつけて
- がゆえに (「思うがゆえに」)
- んがため（に） (「得んがために」; べく would need 「得るべく」 and doesn't fit)
- だけあって (「さすが」 is the clue: praise that matches someone's status; the main clause of とあって is a situation or scene, not an evaluation)
- ように (「治る」 is non-volitional and the main clause is a request, so べく and んがため are both ruled out)
- 事故の原因を突き止めるべく、調査委員会はデータの分析を進めている。
- 彼が必死に働いたのは、出世せんがためだった。
- 有名人であるがゆえに、彼の一挙一動が注目される。
- 初めての公式戦とあって、選手たちはみな緊張していた。
- 急なこととて、十分な準備ができず申し訳ありません。
- 彼は風邪にかこつけて、三日も会社を休んだ。
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