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おかげで (o kage de) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Thanks To

Author Anna Baffa Volpe for article 'おかげで (o kage de) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Thanks To'

Anna Baffa Volpe

The expression おかげで (o kage de) means thanks to, because of.

It is a widely used expression in the Japanese language, heard often at a colloquial level, in everyday conversation and also in a professional context.

Its transcription in Kanji is お陰(かげ)で.

Let's look together at the parts that form お陰(かげ)で and how it is used in the Japanese language, through example sentences of everyday use.

How おかげで is formed

The expression is formed by:

  • お honorific prefix
  • 陰(かげ) noun meaning shadow that is, the part we do not see, the invisible referring to God, to the deities
  • 様(さま) honorific suffix
  • the particle で
  • or the copula です to be
Verb+おかげで
Adjective in［い］+おかげで
Adjective in［な］+な+おかげで
Noun+の+おかげで

友(とも)達(だち)が引(ひ)っ越(こ)しを手(て)伝(つだ)ってくれたおかげでたった二(に)時(じ)間(かん)で完(かん)了(りょう)できました。

Thanks to a friend who helped me move, I was able to complete the move in just two hours.

How and when to use お陰(かげ)で

お陰(かげ)で is an expression used to express gratitude 感(かん)謝(しゃ) or appreciation towards a person or even a situation that has benefited us. It means that something occurred and was possible thanks to the effort, help and contribution of someone else.

We are grateful when we speak of a positive situation, a good result achieved thanks to a certain cause, reason or condition.

We are also thankful to that invisible part that the shadow 陰(かげ) represents and that we can identify with God, Heaven, the deities, the Fortune.

日本(にほん)語(ご)を習(なら)ったおかげで、いい仕(し)事(ごと)を見(み)つけることができました。

I was able to find a good job because I learned Japanese.

雨(あめ)が降(ふ)ってくれたおかげで、行(い)きたくなかった遠(えん)足(そく)が中(ちゅう)止(し)になりました。

Thanks to the rain, the excursion I didn't want to go on was cancelled.

  • From a Japanese YouTube channel named after a 物(もの)語(がたり) story:
The world turns thanks to you.
あなたのおかげで: thanks to you

あなたのおかげで世(せ)界(かい)は回(まわ)る。

The world turns thanks to you.

お陰(かげ)で ironically used

The expression is also used when the result, the effect of an action is not positive, with a sense of irony towards the situation or towards the person who caused the problem in some way.

山(やま)田(だ)さんが遅(ち)刻(こく)したおかげで、飛(ひ)行(こう)機(き)に乗(の)れませんでした。

Because of Yamada's lateness, I couldn't get on the plane.

仕(し)事(ごと)が忙(いそが)しかったおかげで、パーティーに行(い)かなくてすみました。

Thanks to my workload, I didn't have to go to the party.

お陰(かげ)さまです to express Gratitude

「お陰(かげ)さまです」 is a popular form of gratitude used in Japan.

We explain the meaning with a short sentence.

他(た)人(にん)の親(しん)切(せつ)や助(たす)けに対(たい)して感(かん)謝(しゃ)の気(き)持(も)ちを表(あらわ)しています。

It expresses gratitude for the kindness and help of others.

A short sentence from an interview with a Buddhist monk in Japan.

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実(じつ)はこのお陰(かげ)様(さま)でという言(こと)葉(ば)、私(わたし)は仏(ふつ)教(きょう)用(よう)語(ご)ではないかなというふうに思(おも)っています。

Actually, I think the word `'O kage sama de' is a Buddhist term.

陰 has been used since ancient times with the meaning of being in the shadow of something great such as a deity or Buddha and receiving protection from him. 陰 represents the Chinese concept Yin, the feminine, negative and lunar side, while 陽 Yang represents the masculine, positive and solar side.

おかげさまで、家(か)族(ぞく)全(ぜん)員(いん)、元(げん)気(き)に過(す)ごしております。

Thankfully, my family is doing well.

たけし

試(し)験(けん)結(けっ)果(か)はどうだった?

How was the result of the test?

ゆきこ

おかげさまで、合(ごう)格(かく)しました。

Thankfully, I passed the test.

The translation of the form expressing gratitude can be: thank Heaven, thank God, fortunately, thankfully according to our sensibility and thinking.

お陰さまで used to reply greetings 挨拶の返事

ともこ

お元(げん)気(き)ですか。

How are you?

あきこ

はい、おかげさまで元(げん)気(き)です。

Yes, thank goodness I'm fine.

From a Japanese motivational video:

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君(きみ)のおかげで全(ぜん)部(ぶ)上手(うま)くいっているよ！凄(すご)い！凄(すご)い！

Thanks to you, everything is going great! Awesome! Amazing!

Examples of お陰(かげ)で

Thank you for your hard work.
頑(がん)張(ば)ってくれてる: you are doing a great job

ありがとう、あなたが頑(がん)張(ば)ってくれてるおかげです。

Thank you for your hard work.

インターネットが普(ふ)及(きゅう)したおかげで、多(おお)くの情(じょう)報(ほう)が手(て)に入(い)れられるようになりました。

Thanks to the widespread use of the internet, a lot of information is now available.

趣(しゅ)味(み)が多(おお)いおかげで、いろいろな友(ゆう)人(じん)ができました。

Thanks to my many hobbies, I have made many friends.

Similar grammar points in Japanese 📚

申し訳ございません

申し訳ございません (moshi wake gozaimasen) Meaning Japanese Grammar - I Apologize

わけがある

わけがある (wake ga aru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - There Is a Reason If

わけがない

わけがない (wake ga nai) Meaning Japanese Grammar - There Is No Reason That

わけではない

わけではない (wake dewa nai) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Does Not Mean That

わけだ

わけだ (wake da) Meaning Japanese Grammar - That's Why...

わけが分からない

わけが分からない (wake ga wakaranai) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Absurd