お陰で
Thanks to, Because of
Structure
［い］Adjective + おかげで
［な］Adjective + な + おかげで
Noun + の + おかげで
Explanation
おかげで, which can also be written with kanji as お陰で, is a phrase used to express gratitude or to attribute a positive outcome to a certain cause. It is commonly translated as 'thanks to (A)' or 'due to (A)'. This expression is formed from the honorific prefix お, the noun 陰 meaning 'shadow' or 'influence', and the case marking particle で.
おかげで attaches to nouns, verbs, and adjectives in the form used to modify other nouns, also known as the attributive form.
- 先生が丁寧に教えてくださったおかげで、難しい問題が解けました。本当に感謝しています。I was able to solve the difficult problem, thanks to the teacher explaining it so patiently. I'm truly grateful.
- 雨がひどいお陰で、せっかくのピクニックが台無しだ。Thanks to this awful rain, our long-awaited picnic is completely ruined. (Sarcasm)
- この町が静かなお陰で、毎日ゆっくり眠れます。Thanks to this town being so quiet, I can get a good night's sleep every day.
- 皆の協力のおかげで、プロジェクトは成功しました。Thanks to everyone's cooperation, the project was a success.
The literal meaning of お陰で is 'in the shadow/shelter of (A)'. This conveys the nuance that the result (B) happened because (A) provided the protection or beneficial conditions for it.
Caution
Just like 'thanks to' in English, おかげで can be used with sarcasm to blame someone or something for a negative outcome. The context and tone of voice will usually make it obvious that the speaker is not expressing genuine gratitude.
- 君が道を間違えたおかげで、すっかり遅刻だよ！Thanks to you taking the wrong turn, we're totally late! (Sarcasm)
- 田中さんのミスのおかげで、また週末も出勤だ。We have to work this weekend again, thanks to Tanaka's mistake. (Sarcasm)
Fun Fact
When placed at the start of a sentence, おかげで functions similarly to 'thankfully' or 'fortunately' in English. It indicates that a positive result was achieved, often when there was a possibility of a less favorable one.
- おかげで、なくした財布が見つかりました。Thankfully, I found my lost wallet.
- おかげで、楽しい旅行になりました。Thanks to your help, it turned out to be a really fun trip.
Examples
先生のお陰で、難しい問題が分かりました。
Thanks to my teacher, I was able to understand the difficult problem.
友達が道案内してくれたお陰で、迷いませんでした。
I didn't get lost, thanks to my friend showing me the way.
天気が良かったお陰で、洗濯物がよく乾きました。
Thanks to the good weather, the laundry dried really well.
この地図のお陰で、すぐにホテルを見つけられました。
Thanks to this map, I was able to find the hotel right away.
あなたが大声で話していたお陰で、赤ちゃんが起きてしまったよ。
Thanks to you talking so loudly, the baby woke up!
毎日ジョギングしたお陰で、体力がつきました。
I've built up my stamina because I went jogging every day.
彼が親切なお陰で、困った時に助けてもらいました。
Thanks to his kindness, he helped me out when I was in a bind.
セールのお陰で、欲しかった服を安く買えました。
Thanks to the sale, I was able to buy the clothes I wanted for cheap.
一体誰のお陰で、この会社がここまで大きくなったと思ってるんだ？
Just who do you think you should be thankful to for this company becoming so successful?
お陰様で、無事に卒業できました。
Thanks to everyone's support, I was able to graduate without any issues.
田中さんがアドバイスをくれたお陰で、プレゼンがうまくいきました。
The presentation went well, thanks to the advice Tanaka-san gave me.
あなたの励ましのお陰で、最後まで頑張りきることができました。
Because of your encouragement, I was able to stick with it until the very end.