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 + せいで
［い］Adjective + せいで
［な］Adjective + な + せいで
Noun + の + せいで

Details

About せいで

Although written almost exclusively in hiragana, せい is a noun 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 attributive form of any other word. The 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'.

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)したのは渋滞(じゅうたい)のせいだ！

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)が変(か)わったよ。

Due to the typhoon's doings, my plans have changed again.

Synonyms

Examples

--:--

トムは暑(あつ)さのせいで気(き)を失(うしな)った。

Tom passed out because of the heat.

誰(だれ)のせいでもないと思(おも)います。

I think it is not because of anyone. (no one to blame)

湿気(しっき)のせいでカビがひどい。

The mold is out of control because of the humidity.

ストレスのせいで病気(びょうき)になってしまった。

I became ill due to stress.

物忘(ものわす)れがひどいのは、たぶん年(とし)のせいです。

You are quite forgetful probably because of your age.

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Online
- The difference between おかげで and せいで
  日本語の森
- Expressing that something is to blame or is the cause of
  J-Nihongo

Offline
- Tobira
  Page 195
- [AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
  Page 228
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せいで – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (3 in total)

narfi
Isn’t the grammar description missing the case where せい is followed by だ/です? Apparently, the particle で is not allowed in that case, whereas the grammar summary indicate that it is required there:

✗ ~せいででしょう。
○~せいでしょう。
mrnoone
@narfi
Hey

It is not allowed here, because で in せいで is てform of a noun/なadjective, and the てform is used to connect parts of the sentence (clauses). When せい is used at the end of the sentence (so-called predicate position), there is no other part that will be joined so てform is not needed and as with any other noun/なadjective だ・です・and so on follow.

I will fix the structure section so it will be more clear

Cheers,
I hope it helps!
mor1
Hey!

Reading I’ve come upon the “せいか”-grammar!
I tried looking it up and found this grammar structure instead, but it seems like it kinda means the same - maybe せいか being a bit less direct?

Is there a grammar chapter I’ve overlooked or should it even be added here?

Greetings