JLPT N2 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 17: ～ことだし・～だけに・～ばかりに (Because... / Precisely because...)

～ことだし・～だけに・～ばかりに (Because... / Precisely because...)

JLPT N2
Shinkanzen N2 • 5 key grammar patterns
Point 1N2_L17_G1

1. ～ことだし (Since... / Given that...)

Sentence Pattern
Plain form + ことだし
* Na-adjective だ -> な / である
* Noun N だ -> の / である

Meaning: Although there may be several reasons, this is one reason in particular for reaching the following conclusion.
✓ Used to present one among several reasons leading to the conclusion that follows.
✓ The following clause often expresses the speaker’s volition, desire, judgment, invitation, or suggestion.

Example Sentences (6)
来週らいしゅうはお客様きゃくさまが来くることだし、家いえの中なかの大掃除おおそうじをしなくちゃ。
Since we’ll have guests next week, I guess we need to give the house a thorough cleaning.
彼かれも謝あやまったことだし、許ゆるしてあげよう。
Since he has apologized too, let’s forgive him.
雨あめもやんだことだし、そろそろ帰かえりましょうか。
The rain has stopped too, so shall we get ready to head home?
雨あめもやんだことだし、ちょっとジョギングしてこようかな。
The rain has stopped, so maybe I’ll go out for a short jog.
こちらのおなべは値段ねだんも安やすいことですし、お一ひとついかがでしょうか。
This pot is inexpensive too, so how about taking one?
明日あしたはお父とうさんも休やすみのことだし、みんなで買かい物ものでも行いかない？
Dad has tomorrow off too, so why don’t we all go shopping?
Point 2N2_L17_G2

2. ～のことだから (Knowing what ... is like / Since it is...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun referring to a person (N) + のことだから

Meaning: Based on what is known about a person’s usual character or behavior, the speaker makes an inference or judgment.
✓ Mainly follows nouns referring to people.
✓ The following clause expresses the speaker’s subjective inference or judgment. The expression may also appear at the end of a sentence.

Example Sentences (5)
朝寝坊あさねぼうの彼かれのことだから、今日きょうも遅おくれてくるだろう。
Knowing him and his habit of sleeping in, he’ll probably be late again today.
けちなあの人ひとのことだから、こんな高たかいものを買かうわけはない。
Knowing how stingy that person is, there’s no way he would buy something this expensive.
頑張がんばり屋やのみち子このことだから、きっと今度こんどのテストでもいい点てんをとりますよ。
Since Michiko is such a hard worker, I’m sure she’ll get a good score on the next test too.
いつもみんなを笑わらわせていたカンさんのことだから、国くにに帰かえってもまた人気者にんきものになると思おもいますよ。
Knowing Kang, who always made everyone laugh, I think he’ll become popular again even after returning to his country.
太郎たろうの帰かえりが遅おそいね。でも、あの子このことだ。どこかの本屋ほんやで立たち読よみでもして時間じかんが経たつのを忘わすれているんだろう。
Taro is late coming home. But knowing that boy, he’s probably standing and reading in some bookstore and has lost track of time.
Point 3N2_L17_G3

3. ～だけに (Precisely because... / All the more because...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N / Plain form + だけに
* Na-adjective だ -> な / である
* Noun N だ -> である (or attach だけに directly to N)

Meaning: Precisely because of the stated reason, the result in the following clause is natural or understandable.
✓ The following clause expresses a result that appropriately corresponds to the reason given before it.
✓ This pattern is not used for invitations or suggestions.

Example Sentences (5)
このレストランは料理りょうりがあまり美味おいしくないが、場所ばしょが場所ばしょだけにいつも満員まんいんだ。
The food at this restaurant isn’t very good, but precisely because of its prime location, it is always full.
あそこは有名ゆうめいレストランだけに、客きゃくに出だした料理りょうりに問題もんだいがあったとわかったときは大だいニュースになった。
Precisely because it was a famous restaurant, the discovery that there was a problem with the food served to customers became major news.
母ははは花はなが好すきなだけに、花はなをもらうと大喜おおよろこびする。
My mother loves flowers, so precisely for that reason she is delighted whenever she receives them.
父ちちはよく話はなす人ひとだっただけに、いなくなった後あと、いっそう寂さびしさを感かんじる。
My father was very talkative, so precisely because of that, after he was gone I felt the loneliness even more strongly.
祖父そふはよく山登やまのぼりをするが、年としが年としだけに、無事ぶじに帰かえってくるまで心配しんぱいだ。
My grandfather often goes mountain climbing, but because of his age, I worry until he comes home safely.
Point 4N2_L17_G4

4. ～ばかりに (Simply because... with an unfortunate result)

Sentence Pattern
Plain form + ばかりに
* Na-adjective だ -> な / である
* Noun N だ -> である

Meaning: Merely because of one cause, often a relatively small one, an unexpected bad result occurs.
✓ Expresses an unforeseen negative result and often carries regret. It is not used for volition or commands.
✓ When the preceding clause contains ～たい (want to...), the following clause describes the effort made to fulfill that desire; in this use, the result is not necessarily bad.

Example Sentences (7)
嘘うそをついたばかりに、恋人こいびとを振ふられました。
Simply because I told a lie, my partner broke up with me.
経験けいけんが少すくないばかりに、就職しゅうしょくが出来できませんでした。
Simply because I had little experience, I couldn’t get a job.
ちょっと大工だいくの経験けいけんがあるばかりに、いろいろな仕事しごとを頼たのまれてしまう。
Simply because I have a little carpentry experience, people end up asking me to do all sorts of jobs.
家いえのかぎを忘わすれて出でかけたばかりに、家族かぞくが帰かえってくるまで家いえに入はいれなかった。
Simply because I went out forgetting my house key, I couldn’t get into the house until my family came back.
遅刻ちこくの回数かいすうがちょっと多おおかったばかりに、推薦状すいせんじょうを書かいてもらえなかった。
Simply because I had been late a few too many times, I couldn’t get a recommendation letter written for me.
山頂さんちょうから一目ひとめ日ひの出でを見みたいばかりに、暗くらいうちに山小屋やまごやを出でて2時間じかんも歩あるいたのだ。
Just because I wanted to see the sunrise from the summit with my own eyes, I left the mountain hut while it was still dark and walked for two hours.
テレビで見みたこの村むらの人ひとたちに会あいたいばかりに、はるばる日本にほんからやって来きた。
Just because I longed to meet the people of this village whom I had seen on TV, I came all the way from Japan.
Point 5N2_L17_G5

5. ～からには / ～以上(は) / ～上(は) (Once... / Now that...)

Sentence Pattern
Plain form + からには / 以上いじょう（は）
* Na-adjective だ -> な / である
* Noun N だ -> である
Vる / Vた + 上うえ（は）

Meaning: Once a certain fact or reason has been established, it naturally follows that one must do something or have a certain resolve.
✓ The whole sentence presents something regarded as natural or obvious.
✓ The following clause expresses the speaker’s determination, volition, desire, judgment, invitation, or suggestion.

Example Sentences (6)
留学りゅうがくするからには、ちゃんと目的もくてきがあるのでしょうね。
Once you decide to study abroad, you surely have a clear purpose, right?
高たかいお金かねを払はらって外国旅行がいこくりょこうをするからには、大おおいに楽たのしまなければ損そんだ。
Once you are paying a lot of money to travel abroad, it would be a waste not to enjoy it to the fullest.
自分一人じぶんひとりでやると言いった以上いじょう、みんなに助たすけてもらうことはできない。
Since I said I would do it by myself, I can no longer ask everyone to help me.
専門職せんもんしょくである以上いじょうは、常つねに新あたらしい知識ちしきを身みにつけなければならないと思おもう。
Since I work in a specialized profession, I think I must continually acquire new knowledge.
オリンピック出場しゅつじょうを目指めざす上うえは、中途半端ちゅうとはんぱな気持きもちではだめだ。
Once you aim to compete in the Olympics, a half-hearted attitude won’t do.
会社かいしゃを辞やめると決きめた上うえは、覚悟かくごして今後こんごのことを考かんがえる必要ひつようがある。
Once I have decided to quit the company, I need to be prepared and think seriously about what comes next.
Previous Lesson (16)Back to lessons listNext Lesson (18)