At a glance
のために means "for" or "for the sake of" after a noun. ために after a verb means "in order to". Both can also mean "because of", mostly in formal or written Japanese.
[Noun] の ために
[Verb dictionary form] ために
家族のために働きます。 I work for my family.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun (purpose, benefit) | Noun + のために | 家族のために | for my family |
| Verb (purpose) | Dictionary form + ために | 買うために | in order to buy |
| Noun (cause) | Noun + のために | 雨のために | because of the rain |
| Verb (cause) | Plain form, often past + ために | 起きたために | because (I) got up |
Use の only after nouns. Verbs connect to ために directly: 買うために, not 買うのために.