Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 6: 4/17

んが為(ため)にIn order to, To, For the purpose of

Exception: する → せん

Structure

Verb［ない］+ ん + が + ため（に）
Verb［ない］+ ん + が + ため + の + Noun

Exceptions:
する ￫ せんがため

Details

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    Formal

About んがため(に)

んがため is a grammar pattern used when indicating that something is being done 'for the purpose of (A)', or 'with (A) as the goal'. ん comes from an abbreviation of む, which is a classical auxiliary verb used to show intent or strong will in the same way as う and よう in modern Japanese. ん is then followed by が, and the noun ため 'sake', or 'purpose'.

ん connects to the indeterminate form of verbs (ない stem). Either の or に will usually come after んがため, depending on whether it is followed directly by a noun, or a statement linking to a verb.

The meaning of む is kept in ん, as this grammar structure will imply the speaker's will to achieve the goal of (A). As む expresses intent, the verb that ん is attached to must be something that can be controlled by the speaker.

Caution

Like most classical structures that interact with する, the more old-fashioned せ will be used as the base, rather than し.

Related

Examples

--:--

    ソクラテス：「生(い)きんがために食(く)え、食(く)わんがために生(い)きるな」

    Socrates: 'Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.' (for the purpose of)

    小説(しょうせつ)：「力(ちから)の指輪(ゆびわ)を得(え)んがための戦争(せんそう)が始(はじ)まった。」

    Novel: 'The war for the purpose of acquiring the ring of power has begun.'

    溺(おぼ)れている子供(こども)を助(たす)けんがために川(かわ)に飛(と)び込(こ)んだ人(ひと)が亡(な)くなってしまったそうです。

    I heard that the person who dove into the river to save the drowning child unfortunately passed away.

    僕(ぼく)はこの世(よ)に何(なに)かを為(な)さんがために生(う)まれてきたはずだが、それが何(なに)かはまだ分(わ)からない。

    I was bound to be born into this world for the purpose of achieving something, but I still do not know just what that is.

    記事(きじ)：「その会社(かいしゃ)は不(ふ)良品(りょうひん)を売(う)らんがために、高齢者(こうれいしゃ)の弱(よわ)みにつけ込(こ)んだ。」

    Article: 'That company took advantage of the elderly in order to sell defective products.'

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      んがため(に) – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

      • JSBeck

        JSBeck

        I am little confused about this sentence.
        僕はこの世に何かをなさんがために生まれてきたはずだが、それが何かはまだ分からない。
        I thought that the nai form of 為さる was 為さらない and hence it would be 為さらん. Is this a special case?

      • nekoyama

        nekoyama

        為す

      • JSBeck

        JSBeck

        ah of course, that makes a lot more sense. I was just blindly following the prompt word of 為さる, that was with the sentence. thanks Neko

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