JLPT N2 grammar
せいで vs おかげで — Meaning & Examples
せいで = because of (blame, negative). おかげで = thanks to (credit, positive, N4 review). あなたのせいで失敗した vs あなたのおかげで成功した.
〜ばかりに and せいで — Placing the Blame
〜ばかりに = "all because of / just because of." It pins a bad result on one specific, often small, trigger — and carries strong regret, frequently the speaker's own regret about their own action.
Formation: plain form (any tense) + ばかりに
一言余計なことを言ったばかりに、彼を怒らせてしまった。
= Just because I said one unnecessary thing, I ended up making him angry.
安物を買ったばかりに、すぐ壊れてしまった。
= All because I bought a cheap one, it broke right away.
新人であるばかりに、責任を押し付けられた。
= Just because I'm the new person, I got landed with the responsibility.
The ばかりに feel: "if only I hadn't..." — the cause is small or almost trivial, and the result feels disproportionately bad.
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〜せいで = "because of" (blame), reviewed from N3. Broader than ばかりに — the cause doesn't have to be small, and the regret is less personal/intense.
渋滞のせいで、遅刻した。
= Because of the traffic jam, I was late.
Quick contrast with its positive twin, おかげで (N4):
あなたのおかげで、成功した。 = Thanks to you, I succeeded. (positive)
あなたのせいで、失敗した。 = Because of you, I failed. (negative, blame)
Placement guide for the whole family:
Wasted effort, ironic bad ending → あげく
Long effort, outcome open (can be good) → 末に
Small trigger, personal regret → ばかりに
General blame, less personal → せいで
Positive credit → おかげで (review) 🎯
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on せいで vs おかげで. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 渋滞のせいで、遅刻した means?
- Because of the traffic jam, I was late
- Thanks to the traffic jam, I arrived early
- The traffic jam was fixed
- I avoided the traffic jam
Show answer
Answer: Because of the traffic jam, I was late
〜せいで = because of (blame). Its positive twin is おかげで (thanks to): あなたのおかげで成功した vs あなたのせいで失敗した.
2. あなたのおかげで成功した vs あなたのせいで失敗した — the difference is?
- おかげで = credit (positive); せいで = blame (negative)
- No difference, both are neutral
- おかげで = blame; せいで = credit
- Both mean "because of" with no emotional charge
Show answer
Answer: おかげで = credit (positive); せいで = blame (negative)
おかげで (N4 review) is positive credit; せいで is negative blame. Same grammatical shape, opposite emotional charge.
Practise せいで vs おかげで in the free app
This point is part of the “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N2 grammar points
From the same lesson: 😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで
Frequently asked questions
What does せいで vs おかげで mean?
せいで = because of (blame, negative). おかげで = thanks to (credit, positive, N4 review). あなたのせいで失敗した vs あなたのおかげで成功した.
Is せいで vs おかげで on the JLPT N2 test?
せいで vs おかげで is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise せいで vs おかげで?
Open the “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N2 mock exams, with no ads.