Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 10: 5/20

せいで
because of, due to, blame

Can express blame or fault, で can be omitted at the end of a sentence

Structure
Verb + せい
[い]Adjective + せい
[な]Adjective + + せい
Noun + + せい
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
Although written almost exclusively in hiragana, せい is a 名詞(めいし) that may be better understood from its kanji, 所為(せい), meaning ‘doings’. せい is used to convey negative results that occurred due to the behavior or actions of another person/thing. Because of this, common translations of せい are ‘fault’, ‘due to’, or ‘because of’.
As せい is a noun, it may be used after the 連体形(れんたいけい) (attributive form) of any other word. The 格助詞(かくじょし) (case marking particle) で will also regularly be seen after せい, especially when conveying the (B) result that occurred ‘with’ or ‘by means of’ those ‘doings’.
  • 昨日(きのう)夜(よる)遅(おそ)くまで起(お)きていたせいで寝坊(ねぼう)した。
    Because I stayed up late last night, I overslept today.
  • 外(そと)寒(さむ)いせいで風邪(かぜ)引(ひ)いた。
    Because it is chilly outside, I caught a cold.
  • 犬(いぬ)手術(しゅじゅつ)事(こと)心配(しんぱい)なせいで今日(きょう)は寝(ね)れなさそう。
    Due to me being worried about my dog's surgery, it doesn't seem like I am going to be able to sleep.
  • 大雪(おおゆき)のせいで道(みち)渋滞(じゅうたい)してる。
    Because of the heavy snow, the road is congested.
Fun Fact
The ‘doings’ that 所為(せい) represents is similar to the negative ‘doings’ that is used in English to place blame. This can be seen in phrases such as ‘it was the weather's doings’, or ‘ah, so the missing cookies were your doings!’
  • 遅刻(ちこく)した渋滞(じゅうたい)のせい
    Me being late is the traffic’s doing!
  • 台風(たいふう)のせいでまた予定(よてい)変(か)わったよ。
    Due to the typhoon’s doings, my plans have changed again.
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トムは暑(あつ)させいで気(き)を失(うしな)った。
Tom passed out because of the heat.
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トムがお皿(さら)を割(わ)ってしまったせいで私(わたし)は怪我(けが)をしてしまった。
I got injured because Tom broke a plate.
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気分(きぶん)が悪(わる)くなったせいで仕事(しごと)を休(やす)んでしまった。
Because I wasn't feeling well, I took the day off.
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Books
Tobira
Page 195
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 228