“sono tame・sore yue”: Therefore / Hence (written causal connective) [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
Causal connectives for written text
「人手が足りない。そのため、納期が遅れている」 — linking cause and effect objectively
In a report you read 「人手が足りない。そのため、納期が遅れている」 (short of staff; therefore the deadline is slipping) — 「そのため・それゆえ」 are causal connectives, “therefore, hence, thus”: the first clause states the cause, and they bring out the result. They're the neutral causal link common in written, argumentative, news text. This guide covers its division of labor with the colloquial 「だから,」 its difference from the same-sentence cause clause 「〜ため,」 and reminds you to “start a new clause.”
Core: objectively linking ‘cause → effect'
「そのため／それゆえ」 are connectives whose function is to “objectively link the preceding cause/situation to the following result”:
- 人手が足りない。そのため、納期が遅れている (short of staff, therefore the deadline slips).
- 前例がない。それゆえ、慎重な判断が必要だ (there's no precedent, hence careful judgment is needed).
The 「その／それ」 points to the cause stated in the previous sentence. 「それゆえ」 is more literary, argumentative than 「そのため.」
Feel: “therefore, hence, thus” — the core is objectively stating cause and effect, neutral and orderly in tone, unlike the colloquial, subjective 「だから.」 Mostly for writing, reports, news, essays.
Attachment & forms
| Connective | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| そのため | therefore (written, neutral) | …。そのため、〜 |
| それゆえ | hence, thus (more literary, argumentative) | …。それゆえ、〜 |
| それがゆえ（に） | precisely because of this (emphatic) | …。それがゆえに、〜 |
| したがって | therefore, thus (written, inferential) | …。したがって、〜 |
Example sentences
- 大雪が降った。そのため、電車が止まっている。(Heavy snow fell; therefore the trains are stopped.)
- 業績が悪化した。そのため、リストラが行われる。(Performance worsened; therefore layoffs are carried out.)
- 証拠が不十分だ。それゆえ、結論は保留する。(Evidence is insufficient; hence judgment is reserved.)
- 需要が急増した。そのため、品切れが続いている。(Demand surged; therefore stock shortages continue.)
- 彼は努力家だ。それゆえ、皆に信頼されている。(He's a hard worker; hence he's trusted by all.)
⚠️ Easy traps to avoid
① 「そのため」 vs 「だから」: written/neutral vs colloquial/subjective. Both mean “therefore, so,” but differ in register and tone. 「そのため／それゆえ」 = therefore (written, neutral, objective): objectively stating cause and effect, without personal emotion, mostly for reports, news, essays: 売上が減った。そのため、経費を削減する (sales fell, therefore we cut costs — objective). 「だから」 = so (colloquial, subjective, often emotional): for everyday speech, often with the speaker's judgment, assertion, even impatience: 疲れた。だから、もう帰る (I'm tired, so I'm going home — subjective), だから言ったでしょ (that's why I told you — with emotion). Test: written, objectively stating cause → そのため／それゆえ; colloquial, with subjectivity/emotion → だから. Using 「だから」 in a formal report sounds too colloquial, too subjective.
② 「そのため」 is an independent connective — ‘start a new clause'; don't confuse it with the same-sentence 「〜ため.」 This is an important distinction. 「そのため」 is an independent connective, the 「その」 referring back to the cause already stated in the previous sentence, in principle after a period, starting a new clause: 人手が足りない。そのため、遅れている (short of staff. Therefore, it's delayed — two sentences). This differs from 「〜ため (a same-sentence cause clause)」: 「〜ため」 states a cause within the same sentence (= because ～): 人手が足りないため、遅れている (because short of staff, it's delayed — within one sentence). Difference: 「そのため」 = independent connective, new clause (a complete cause sentence precedes); 「〜ため」 = same-sentence cause clause (because ～, attached right to the cause). Don't stuff 「そのため」 as a within-sentence connector after a comma (Chinese “因此” sometimes can, but Japanese 「そのため」 in principle starts a new clause).
③ 「そのため」 vs 「そのために」: therefore (result) vs for this purpose (goal). One 「に」 apart, different meaning. 「そのため（、）」 = therefore, due to that cause (a result): the prior cause leads to the following result: 雨だ。そのため試合は中止だ (it's raining, therefore the match is off — cause and effect). 「そのために」 = for this, for that purpose (a goal): to achieve the goal mentioned earlier, one does the following: 合格したい。そのために毎日勉強する (I want to pass, for this I study daily — goal). Test: what follows is “a result (from that cause)” → そのため (cause-effect); what follows is “an action (for that goal)” → そのために (purpose). One refers back to “the cause,” the other to “the goal” — don't mix them just because they differ by 「に.」
🔄 Compare with similar forms: そのため／それゆえ／だから／したがって／そこで
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| そのため | therefore (written, neutral, objective) | …。そのため〜 |
| それゆえ | hence, thus (more literary/argumentative) | …。それゆえ〜 |
| だから | so (colloquial, subjective, emotional) | …。だから〜 |
| したがって | therefore, thus (written, inferential) | …。したがって〜 |
| そこで | and so (picking up, then taking action) | …。そこで〜 |
💡 The one thing to remember
「そのため・それゆえ」 = therefore, hence, causal connectives that objectively link “cause → effect” in written, argumentative, news text — three points: ① written and neutral, dividing labor with the colloquial subjective 「だから」 — reports/news use そのため, chat uses だから; ② 「そのため」 is an independent connective — start a new clause (the prior clause ends with a period); don't confuse it with the same-sentence cause clause 「〜ため (because ～)」; ③ 「そのため」 ≠ 「そのために」 — そのため = therefore (result, refers to the cause), そのために = for this (goal, refers to the purpose); one 「に」 apart, different meaning. Comparing relatives: for more literary/argumentative use 「それゆえ」, for logical inference use 〈したがって〉, for picking up and taking action use 「そこで.」 To give a report or essay orderly, objective cause-effect, 「そのため」 is the safest choice.
❓ Quick FAQ
Q: 「そのため」 and 「だから」 both mean ‘therefore, so' — what's the difference?
The difference is register and subjectivity (written/objective vs colloquial/subjective). 「そのため／それゆえ」 = therefore (written, neutral, objective): objectively links “cause → effect,” without personal emotion or assertion, suited to reports, news, essays — formal, objective settings: 原油価格が上昇した。そのため、ガソリンも値上がりした (crude oil rose, therefore gasoline also rose — objective statement). It gives a calm, orderly feel. 「だから」 = so (colloquial, subjective): for everyday speech, often with the speaker's judgment, assertion, emotion: もう遅い。だから帰ろう (it's late, so let's go — with assertion), だから言ったじゃない (that's why I told you — with impatience/emotion). It's more subjective, personal. Test: writing reports, news, essays, objectively stating cause → そのため／それゆえ; everyday speech, with subjective judgment or emotion → だから. E.g. a news line 「感染が拡大した。そのため、イベントは中止された」 uses そのため (objective); between friends 「眠い。だからもう寝る」 uses だから (colloquial, subjective). Using 「だから」 throughout a formal report is too colloquial, while forcing 「そのため」 into casual chat is too stiff. Also, in papers, for logical inference “therefore, thus,” 「したがって」 is often used, more inferential than 「そのため.」
Q: 「そのため」 and 「そのために」 differ by just one 「に」 — do they mean the same?
No — the difference is “cause-effect (result)” vs “purpose.” 「そのため（、）」 = therefore, due to that cause (a result): the 「その」 refers to the prior cause/situation, bringing out “because of that cause, the following result”: 台風が接近している。そのため、明日は休校だ (a typhoon is approaching, therefore school is closed tomorrow — the typhoon cause leads to the closure result). It's a cause-effect relation. 「そのために」 = for this, for that purpose (a goal): the 「その」 refers to the goal/aim mentioned earlier, bringing out “to achieve that goal, one does the following”: 来年、留学したい。そのために、今お金を貯めている (I want to study abroad next year, for this I'm saving now — saving for the study-abroad goal). It's a purpose relation. Method: see whether the following clause is “a result (naturally) from that cause” or “an action (deliberately) taken for that goal” — a result uses そのため (cause-effect), an action for a goal uses そのために (purpose). E.g. 「雨が降った。そのため、中止になった (it rained, therefore it was cancelled)」 is cause-effect (rain led to cancellation); 「優勝したい。そのために、猛練習する (I want to win, for this I train hard)」 is purpose (training for the win). So though they differ by just 「に,」 one refers to “the cause” for a result, the other to “the goal” for a means — don't mix them.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「人手が足りない。___、納期が遅れている。」(therefore — written)
(A) そのため (B) ところが (C) それでも (D) それなのに
Q2. What is the register of 「それゆえ」?
(A) Written, expository (therefore/hence)
(B) Intimate speech
(C) Children's language
(D) Command form
Q3. What is the relationship in 「大雨だった。そのため中止になった」?
(A) Cause-effect (heavy rain, so it was canceled)
(B) Contrast
(C) Parallel
(D) Condition
Q4. What is the difference between 「そのため」 and 「だから」?
(A) そのため = neutral, written; だから = colloquial, subjective
(B) They are exactly the same
(C) そのため = colloquial
(D) だから = most written
Q5. Which usage is natural?
(A) 雪が積もった。そのため休校だ。 (B) そのため行く(原因なし)。
(C) それゆえを食べる。 (D) そのためだ高い。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) そのため ── Therefore the deadline is delayed.
2. (A) ── Written, expository.
3. (A) ── Cause-effect.
4. (A) ── そのため written; だから colloquial.
5. (A) ── 「雪が積もった。そのため休校」 is correct.