そのために (sono tame ni)
そのために — for that purpose / because of that
Pattern
-
文。そのために、〜purpose: for that goal, do ～ -
文。そのために、〜cause: because of that, ～ happened
Purpose use
The previous sentence is a goal or plan, and the next sentence is the action taken to realize it. In 来年留学します。そのために、お金を貯めています, the two connect directly. The second sentence usually has a deliberate action such as 貯めている or 勉強している.
Cause use and cautions
As in 台風が来た。そのために、電車が止まった, it can also say that something happened as a result of that. Whether it is purpose or cause is decided by the second sentence: a deliberate action means purpose, a naturally occurring event means cause. To state cause clearly you can also say そのせいで or そのため.
Examples
-
来年（らいねん）留学（りゅうがく）します。そのために、お金（かね）を貯（た）めています。
Rainen ryūgaku shimasu. Sono tame ni, okane o tamete imasu.
I'll study abroad next year. For that, I'm saving money.
Purpose: saving money to study abroad.
-
医者（いしゃ）になりたい。そのために、毎日（まいにち）遅（おそ）くまで勉強（べんきょう）している。
Isha ni naritai. Sono tame ni, mainichi osoku made benkyō shite iru.
I want to become a doctor. For that reason, I study late every day.
Purpose: the goal comes first.
-
来月（らいげつ）、家族（かぞく）で旅行（りょこう）する。そのために、少（すこ）しずつ準備（じゅんび）を始（はじ）めた。
Raigetsu, kazoku de ryokō suru. Sono tame ni, sukoshi zutsu junbi o hajimeta.
Next month we'll travel as a family. For that, I've started preparing little by little.
Purpose: preparation for a plan.
Common mistakes
- The previous sentence must be a goal or event; その points back to the whole sentence.
- For cause, make the next sentence a natural event; for purpose, make it a deliberate action.
More grammar points
- 結果（けっか） ～結果 — as a result of ～
- ことから ～ことから — from the fact that ～
- なぜなら なぜなら — the reason is that ～
- には ～には — in order to ～
- によって / による ～によって／～による — by, depending on, due to
- おかげで ～おかげで — thanks to ～
- せいで ～せいで — because of ～ (blame)
- ために ために — “for the sake of ～ / because of ～”
- てはいけないから ～てはいけないから — “because we mustn't ～”
- というのは というのは — “the reason is ～ / ～ means …”
- ように ～ように — “so that ～ / in order that ～”
- 上（あ）げる ～上げる — to finish ～ completely
- あまり あまりの～に — so ～ that ～
- あまりにも あまりにも — far too ～, excessively
- 合（あ）う ～合う — do ～ to each other; to fit, to suit
- ばいい ～ばいい — you just have to ～, it is fine to just ～
- ばよかった ～ばよかった — I should have ～, if only I had ～
- ば～ほど ～ば～ほど — the more ～, the more ～
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