～ために
in order to / because of
～ために has two related jobs. With a dictionary-form verb or a noun + の naming a goal, it marks a purpose: “in order to”, “for the sake of”. With a noun or clause naming something that already happened, it marks a cause: “because of”.
1. Purpose with a noun（Noun + のために）
A noun + のために says you do something for that goal or person.
健康のために毎日運動します。
“I exercise every day for my health.”
- 健康（けんこう）= health
- の = links the noun to ために
- ために = for (the sake of)
- 毎日（まいにち）= every day
- 運動します（うんどうします）= (I) exercise
2. Purpose with a verb（dictionary form + ために）
A dictionary-form verb + ために means “in order to do” that action. The action should be something the subject is trying to do on purpose.
大学に入るために、毎日勉強しています。
“I study every day in order to get into university.”
- 大学（だいがく）= university
- に = direction/target marker
- 入る（はいる）= to enter
- ために = in order to
- 毎日（まいにち）= every day
- 勉強しています（べんきょうしています）= am studying
3. Cause（because of）
When the part before ために is an event that already happened, often a noun like “accident” or “rain”, it gives the cause of the result. You will hear this in train and airport announcements.
事故のために、電車が止まりました。
“The train stopped because of an accident.”
- 事故（じこ）= accident
- のために = because of
- 電車（でんしゃ）= train
- が = subject marker
- 止まりました（とまりました）= stopped
How to form it
Verb (dictionary form) + ために / Noun + の + ために
- 入る（はいる）= to enter → 入るために（はいるために）= in order to enter
- 健康（けんこう）= health → 健康のために（けんこうのために）= for one's health
- 事故（じこ）= accident → 事故のために（じこのために）= because of an accident
Key idea
ために points at the reason. If that reason is a goal you are aiming at, read it as “in order to / for”. If it is an event that already happened, read it as “because of”.
Other N4 grammar
Updated .