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.
  • タケルくんに手伝(てつだ)ってもらったお陰(かげ)で仕事(しごと)が早(はや)く終(お)わったよ。今日(きょう)は本当(ほんとう)にありがとうね。
    We were able to finish work early, thanks to you helping us Takeru. Thank you so much for today.
  • 部屋(へや)が汚(きたな)いお陰(かげ)でどこに何(なに)があるか全(まった)く分(わ)からない。
    Thanks to my room being so dirty, I don't know where anything is. (Sarcasm)
  • 友達(ともだち)が有名(ゆうめい)なお陰(かげ)で、どんな高級(こうきゅう)レストランでも予約(よやく)なしで入(はい)れる。
    Thanks to my friend being famous, we can go to any fancy restaurant without a reservation.
  • あなたのおかげで不自由(ふじゆう)のない生活(せいかつ)ができている。
    Thanks to you, we can live a life free of inconvenience.
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)のおかげで、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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おかげで – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

  • Johnathan-Weir

    Johnathan-Weir

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    @Johnathan-Weir
    I like it! I have changed the translation
    Cheers!

  • Daru

    Daru

    image853×130 15.4 KB

    It’s useful to throw a complime...

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