おかげで/おかげだ

Today’s Grammar Point

～おかげで = thanks to ～
This is usually used to state the cause of a desired result and it emphasizes your appreciation for it. However, it can be used sarcastically.
If we want to state an objective reason/cause for a result, we use ～から or ～ので.
If we feel resentful about the cause/influence, it is usually expressed with ～せいで.
You can end the sentence with ～おかげです/おかげだ as well.

Connection

• [plain form verb] + おかげで
• [いadjective] + おかげで
• [なadjective] + な/だったおかげで
• [noun] +の/だったおかげで

Examples of appreciation

1. 父ちちが学費がくひを出だしてくれるおかげで、ぼくは大学だいがくに行いける。
   Thanks to my father paying the tuition, I can go to university.
2. この本ほんを読よんだおかげで、歴史れきしの勉強べんきょうが楽たのしくなった。
   Thanks to having read this book, studying history has become fun.
3. 勉強べんきょうが楽たのしいおかげで、成績せいせきがどんどん上あがっていく。
   As I find studying fun, my results are getting better and better.
4. テストがやさしかったおかげで、いい点てんがとれた。
   Thanks to an easy test, I got good marks.
5. 母ははが元気げんきなおかげで、毎日まいにちおべんとうをつくってもらえる。(today’s question sentence)
   Thanks to my mum being healthy, I get her to prepare my lunch box every day.
6. きのうは店みせが暇ひまだったおかげで、キッチンの掃除そうじができた。
   Because the shop wasn’t busy yesterday, I was able to clean the kitchen.
7. 先生せんせいのおかげで、大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうできます。
   Thanks to the teacher, I can graduate from the university.
8. 祖母そぼがスペイン人じんだったおかげで、ぼくはスペイン語ごがわかります。(more appreciative)
   ≒祖母そぼがスペイン人じんだったから、ぼくはスペイン語ごがわかります。(more objective)
   Because my grandmother was from Spain, I can understand Spanish.
9. 大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうできたのは先生せんせいのおかげです。
   It was thanks to my teacher that I could graduate from university./ (to your teacher) It was because of you that I could graduate from university. Thank you.
10. きのういい成績せいせきが出だせたのは、よく眠ねむれたおかげだ。
    The reason why I could get a good result yesterday is because I could sleep well (the night before).

Examples of Sarcasm

1. あいつのミスのおかげで、昨日きのうは残業ざんぎょうさせられた。
   Thanks to his mistakes, I was made to work overtime.
2. 赤ん坊あかんぼうが泣ないたおかげで、昨夜ゆうべは全然ぜんぜん眠ねむれなかった。
   Thanks to the baby crying, I couldn’t sleep at all last night.

The answer to Today’s question

The correct answer is a. おかげ.

b. せい does not go with the ending もらえる which indicates your appreciation.

c. ため does not need で.

d. つもり means “intention” and it does not suit this context.