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What made him start learning Japanese? Watching anime was the experience that set him on that path.

Lesson notes · ≈ JLPT N3 · Intermediate 1

〜がきっかけで~ga kikkake de

trigger for a change

Use 「〜がきっかけで」 to name the event or experience that prompted an action or change.

How it works

What made him start learning Japanese? Watching anime was the experience that set him on that path.
「～がきっかけで」 shows that something prompted a new action or brought about a change.
A noun can come before it, such as 「友だちからの紹介」, identifying what prompted the action.
To describe something that happened, use “verb in the た-form + こと”, followed by 「がきっかけで」.
The focus is on what started it all. When giving a reason, this pattern highlights the event that set a change in motion.

In the example, a friend’s introduction prompted participation in the event. The words that follow do not have to include “start”.

日本にっぽんnipponのnoアニメあにめanimeをo見たことみたことmitakotoがgaきっかけkikkakeで、de、日本にほんnihon語ごgoをo勉強べんきょうbenkyouしshi始めました。はじめました。hajimemashita。
Watching Japanese anime triggered me to start studying Japanese.
友だちともだちtomodachiからkaraのno紹介しょうかいshoukaiがgaきっかけkikkakeで、de、このkonoイベントいべんとibentoにni参加さんかsankaしました。shimashita。

A
田中さんたなかさんは、わ、どうしてこのボランティアぼらんてぃあに参加さんかしたんですか？か
A: Mr. Tanaka, what made you participate in this volunteer activity?
B
地元じもとの掲示板けいじばんで説明せつめい会かいの案内あんないを見みかけたことがきっかけで、興味きょうみを持ちました。もちました。
B: Seeing the information about the briefing session on the local bulletin board triggered my interest.
A
そうなんですね。行動力こうどうりょくがあって素晴らしいですすばらしいですね。
A: I see. It's wonderful that you are so proactive.

Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
Watching Japanese anime was the trigger that made me start studying Japanese.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
日本のアニメを見たこと____、日本語の勉強を始めました。
Watching Japanese anime was the trigger that made me start studying Japanese.

I participated in this event because a friend introduced me to it.