～ために I: In order to…
The purpose-marker に attaches to a handful of nouns, creating several important grammar patterns. This is very much the case when it follows the noun 為, which means “objective/benefit” or “result.” Although most typically seen paired with the particle に, 為 can still be used like any other noun with these meanings as demonstrated below.
1. あなたの為を思って言うのよ！
I’m saying this for your own good!
2. 世界の為なら犠牲は仕方ない。
If they’re for the sake ofthe world, sacrifices can’t be helped.
3. 子供の為を思って言っているつもりが、逆にストレスを与えているかもしれません。
Your intentions of saying that foryour child’s benefit may in fact be conversely stressing out your child.
4. 部下の沈黙は上司のためにならないし、組織にとってもその上司のキャリアにとってもプラスにはならない。
Silence from subordinates is not for the benefit of the boss, nor will it be a plus for the organization or for that boss’ career.
5. 情けは人の為ならず。
Compassion is not for other people’s benefit.
Grammar Note: ならず is the Classical Japanese equivalent of ではない and is commonly seen in proverbs such as Ex. 5.
When the purpose-marker に follows ため, it is used to express an objective/goal to realize something by one’s utmost effort. In doing so, it is often translated as “for” or “(in order) to” as we will soon see. Aside from showing purpose, in concurrence with its second definition, ため may also be used to show cause. This lesson will focus solely on the first meaning, and in the next lesson we’ll focus on the second meaning.
Orthography Note: It’s important to note that 為 is typically written as ため , which is how it will be spelled for the remainder of this lesson. Nonetheless, 為 is still a common spelling. Often, it is the writer’s style or the medium that dictates which spelling is used.
Marking an Objective
The primary purpose of ～ために is to express purpose. In doing so, ～ために must be used with verbs of volition. This does not mean that it is limited to transitive verbs. Rather, it is limited to verbs which have an agent who has control over achieving the stated goal.
Conjugation Recap
Although ～ために follows the same grammar as any other instance of a noun following a verb, because the Japanese expression itself is very different in regard to part of speech from its English counterpart “(in order) to,” we will look at how to conjugate ～ために with each kind of verb.
| /eru/-Ichidan Verb | 食べる ＋ ために → | 食べるために | (In order) to eat |
| /iru/-Ichidan Verb | 見る ＋ ために → | 見るために | (In order) to see |
| /u/-Godan Verb | 使う ＋ ために → | 使うために | (In order) to use |
| /ku/-Godan Verb | 行く ＋ ために → | 行くために | (In order) to go |
| /gu/-Godan Verb | 泳ぐ ＋ ために → | 泳ぐために | (In order) to swim |
| /su/-Godan Verb | 話す ＋ ために → | 話すために | (In order) to talk |
| /tsu/-Godan Verb | 勝つ ＋ ために → | 勝つために | (In order) to win |
| /nu/-Godan Verb | 死ぬ ＋ ために → | 死ぬために | (In order) to die |
| /mu/-Godan Verb | 読む ＋ ために → | 読むために | (In order) to read |
| /ru/-Godan Verb | 測る ＋ ために → | 測るために | (In order) to measure |
| Suru (Verb) | する ＋ ために → | するために | (In order) to do |
| Kuru | 来る ＋ ために → | 来るために | (In order) to come |
Conjugation Note: This usage of ～ために is usually used with affirmative expressions, and it must be used with the non-past form of a verb.
The Four Scenarios of the Objective-Marking ～（の）ために
Regardless of how ～（の）ために expresses purpose, the agent of both clauses in the sentence are always the same. To visualize this, envision all instances of the purpose-ため as being “AためにB.” The someone doing A and the someone doing B must be the same person. In case you’ve forgotten what “agent” means, the “agent” of a sentence is the “someone doing X.”
Particle Note: Interestingly, the particle に is often dropped in literary settings from these two expressions when in declarative statements, but in interrogative sentences and/or comments directed at others, に is not dropped. Motivation for this is that in literary settings, grammatical connections such as に’s role of marking purpose that are easily deduced from context are dropped out of a necessity to be concise. Questions or statements directed toward others, though, present a need to be explicit, and so omission of latent parts of a sentence becomes out of place.
①: Noun A + の + ため: Thinking about A’s benefit
This interpretation is used with nouns that either concern people or are/made up of people. This usage is usually translated as “for.” Even when the “A” element in the base sentence pattern “AためにB” is a noun, the particle の is conceptualized as being an abbreviation of some verbal expression. For instance, in Ex. 6, a verb that comes to mind that の before ため stands for is 援助する (to aid).
6. 貧しい人々のために何百万円もの慈善寄付金を集めました。
We have collected millions of yen in charity contributions for the poor.
7. 今までで一番国民のための政治を行ってくれた総理大臣は誰だと思いますか？
Of the prime ministers up till now, who do you think has governed for the people the most?
8. 社会貢献活動を通して、安全・快適な社会のために、様々な活動を行っています。
Through social action programs, we are conducting various operations for a safe and pleasant society.
9. 言葉の壁により、高い能力を生かせない外国人生徒のため、取り出し授業や外国人生徒サポーターなどによる教育支援体制を整えている。
For foreign students who cannot make the best of their high-level abilities due to language barrier, (they) have arranged an education support structure by means of separate classes and foreign-student supporters.
10. 会社のために働いていることが、お客様に喜ばれ、それが自分や家族のためになるのであればそれでいいし、自分や家族のために働くことでお客様から支持され、それが会社にとっても有益ならそれでいい。また、お客様のために働いていることが、自分の喜びとなり、それが結果的に会社の利益に繋がり、給料が上がることで家族の喜びとなればそれでいい。
Working for the company will delight one’s clientele, which is fine if it becomes beneficial for oneself and one’s family, and if one receives support from one’s clients by working for oneself and one’s family and that is also profitable to the company, then that’s fine. Also, if working for one’s clientele becomes one’s joy, which is then consequently tied to the company’s benefit, and leads to a raise that becomes one’s family’s delight, that too is fine.
②: Noun A + の + ため: Objective to realizing A
In this usage, “Noun A” refers to some entity that can be viewed as a purpose/goal, and what follows is the objective for realizing that said purpose/goal. This usage can also have its parts reversed to have the objective stated first with the sentence ending in ～ためだ (Ex. 11). This usage is also typically translated as “for.”
11. なぜ会社のために仕事（を）するかというと、自身の収入のためです。
As to why one works for one’s company, it’s for one’s own income.
Grammar Note: Though the first instance of ため is of Usage 1, the sentence-ending instance is of Usage 2. “Working for one’s computer” is the objective for realizing one’s source of income.
12. 安全な社会の実現のためには、すべての市民の理解と協力が必要です。
For the realization of a safe society, understanding and cooperation of all townspeople is necessary.
13. 自分自身の健康と幸福のために敵を赦し、忘れましょう。
For one’s own health and happiness, forgive one’s enemies and forget.
14. 何のために闘うのか。権力のためか。自由のためか。平和のためか。
What do you fight for? For influence? For freedom? For peace?
15. 責任ある科学者は、科学の健全な発展のために、こうした事態に自ら適切に対応していく必要がある。
As for the scientists responsible, it is necessary that they themselves adequately handle these situations for the healthy development of science.
念のため、確認したいのですが、上記の認識で大丈夫でしょうか。
I want to make sure just in case. Is my understanding above okay?
③: Verb + ための Noun B: Noun B which realizes stated goal
Although this can also be seen as Noun A + ための Noun B, the point of Usage 3 is that when ～（の）ため is followed directly by another noun, that Noun B is what realizes the stated goal seen before ため. This usage may be translated as “for” or “to.”
16. 住民の福祉を向上させるための政策を実施する。
To implement political measures for advancing the welfare of residents.
17. 幸せになるためのたったひとつの道とは？
What is the one single path to becoming happy?
18. 場所によっては、着替えるための部屋を提供してくれるところもある。
Depending on the location, there are also places that will offer you a room to change.
19. 一人暮らしをするための部屋を借りるときには、部屋を貸してくれる大家さんと賃貸契約を結ぶことになります。
When renting a room to live alone, you will sign a lease agreement with the landlord who is renting you the room.
20. 全ては、家族により良い生活をもたらすためだ。
It is all [for bringing/to bring] about a better life for (their) families.
漢字 Note: The verb もたらす (to bring about) is only seldom spelled as 齎す.
④: Verb of Volition + ためには + Expression of Obligation
～ためには involves willful action/control by the agent/speaker in question. For verbs that have intransitive-transitive pairs, only the transitive form should be used with this pattern. This is further enforced by the sentences ending in an expression of obligation.
21. 成功するためには、面倒臭いことをたくさんしなければなりませんよ。
(In order) to success, you must do lots of tiresome things.
22. 優良な見込み客を獲得するためには、これを見極めなくてはなりません。
(In order) to acquire excellent prospective [customers/clients], you must get to the bottom of this.
23. 大型船舶を運航するためには海技士の免許が必要です。
(In order to) operate a large seacraft, [a mariner license is necessary/you must be a licensed mariner].
24. 心臓病を予防するためには、どうすればいいですか。
(In order) to prevent heart disease, what should one do?
25. 英語を習得するためには、あなたの生活の中で英語の優先順位を高くしましょう。
(In order) to learn English, increase the priority of English in your daily life.
～ないために
As mentioned earlier, ～ないために is seldom used. This is because for it to be grammatical, 100% or near 100% confidence that the agent has control over the non-realization of “A” must be implied. Remember, the base sentence pattern for ～ために is “AためにB.” Just as how ため carries a very affirmative nuance of “A” being realized by a stated objective “B,” when paired with a negative sentence, this becomes a very affirmative statement that “A” won’t realize by means of the stated objective “B.”
26. スズメバチに襲われないためには、どのようなことに気をつけたらよいのでしょうか。
What sort of things should one be careful of to not be attacked by wasps?
Sentence Note: This question asks about what actions—“B”—can be taken to give the agent control over the non-realization of “A”—being attacked by wasps.
27. 被害に遭わないために、様々な詐欺の手口について知っておきましょう！
Know about the various scam tricks in order not to become victimized!
Sentence Note: The use of ～ために is appropriate so long the speaker implies that “B”—actively finding out and learning about the various scam tricks—brings about person control over not becoming a victim.
28. そうならないためにも専門家以外の人に相談するのはやめましょう。
Refrain from consulting with non-experts to make it so it also doesn’t happen that way.
Grammar Note: Although なる typically doesn’t imply volition, this sentence implies that “B” is the means by which the agent has control over “A” not realizing, thus making the sentence grammatical.
29. 死なないために生きるのは御免だ。
I’ll have nothing to do with living in order not to die.
30. ～パリ協定後の投融資を誤らないために～
—In Order not to Make Investment and Lending Mistakes Post-Paris Accords—
Sentence Note: The use of ～ないために is most common in headlines such as this.