ように (In Order To) Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Conjunction
Essential Meaning: So that / In order to
Construction:
- Verb informal nonpast potential form + ように
- E.g. 話せるように [So that X can speak]
- E.g. 食べられるように [So that X can eat]
- Verb informal nonpast negative + ように
- E.g. 話さないように [So that X doesn’t speak]
- E.g. 食べないように [So that X doesn’t eat]
Notes:
- ように (In Order To) simply means “In order to X” or “So that X”. It can be used with any informal nonpast verb, but it is most commonly used with potential forms and negative forms.
- E.g. Potential Verb: 僕が分かるようにスミスさんはゆっくり英語を話してくれた。[In order to help me understand, Smith spoke English slowly.] Note that 分かる is a potential verb.
- E.g. Negative Verb: 遅れないようにタクシーで行きました。[In order to not be late, I took a taxi.]
- There are various idiomatic usages of ように (In Order To), such as ように言う [Tell someone to do~], ようになる [Reach the point where~], and ようにする [Try to~].
Example Sentences:
読めるように字をきれいに書いてください。[Please write neatly so that I can read it.]
かぜをひかないように気をつけている。[I’m being careful in order to not catch a cold.]
僕が分かるようにスミスさんはゆっくり英語を話してくれた。[In order to help me understand, Smith spoke English slowly.]
遅れないようにタクシーで行きました。[In order to not be late, I took a taxi.]
病気が治るように薬を飲んだ。[In order to heal my ailment, I took medicine.]
WILD Examples:

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