ため

ため is a grammatical noun with two core meanings: purpose ("for / in order to") and cause ("because of"). The kanji 為(ため) exists but hiragana is standard.

Common patterns

1. Purpose: Noun + のために / Verb dictionary form + ために
2. Cause: Noun + のために / Verb plain past + ために

• 健康(けんこう)のために: for one's health
• 家族(かぞく)のために: for one's family
• ～のためになる: to be beneficial for ~
• ～ためにならない: to not be good for ~

DISTINGUISHING PURPOSE VS. CAUSE:
Context usually makes the meaning clear. With past-tense verbs, ために almost always indicates cause: 遅(おく)れたために (because [someone] was late). With dictionary-form verbs, it indicates purpose: 勉強(べんきょう)するために (in order to study).

CAUSE ため VS. から/ので:
Cause ため states an objective circumstance and does not lead into a request, invitation, or command. Say 雨(あめ)なので中止(ちゅうし)にしましょう, not 雨(あめ)のために中止(ちゅうし)にしましょう.

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ために is slightly formal, and cause ため is common in notices and written announcements. In casual speech, から or ので are more common for expressing cause.