ように (In Order To) Japanese Grammar Lesson

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. 話はなせるように [So that X can speak]
- E.g. 食たべられるように [So that X can eat]

Verb informal nonpast negative + ように
- E.g. 話はなさないように [So that X doesn’t speak]
- E.g. 食たべないように [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: 僕ぼくが分わかるようにスミスさんはゆっくり英語えいごを話はなしてくれた。[In order to help me understand, Smith spoke English slowly.] Note that 分かる is a potential verb.
- E.g. Negative Verb: 遅おくれないようにタクシーで行いきました。[In order to not be late, I took a taxi.]

There are various idiomatic usages of ように (In Order To), such as ように言いう [Tell someone to do~], ようになる [Reach the point where~], and ようにする [Try to~].

Example Sentences:

読よめるように字じをきれいに書かいてください。[Please write neatly so that I can read it.]

かぜをひかないように気きをつけている。[I’m being careful in order to not catch a cold.]

僕ぼくが分わかるようにスミスさんはゆっくり英語えいごを話はなしてくれた。[In order to help me understand, Smith spoke English slowly.]

遅おくれないようにタクシーで行いきました。[In order to not be late, I took a taxi.]

病気びょうきが治なおるように薬くすりを飲のんだ。[In order to heal my ailment, I took medicine.]

WILD Examples:

ドアが開ひらくとき、手てを戸袋とぶくろに**はさまないように**注意ちゅういしましょう。[*When the door is open, be careful not to get your fingers pinched.*]

The beginning line of this song is 上うえおむいて歩あるこう涙なみだがこぼれないように [I look upwards as I walk in order to keep my tears from spilling out]

Listen to this line from 1:47: 酒さけが空あいたグラスあればすぐに注つぎなさい、みんながつまみやすいように串くし外はずしなさい [If there’s an empty glass, fill it immediately…Separate the food from the skewers so that it’s easy for everyone to snack.]

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