〜た結果 / その結果: 'As a Result Of' in Japanese
The payoff of an effort, not a plain cause
結果 literally means "result" or "outcome," and as a grammar pattern it links a process — thinking something over, working at it, running an experiment — to the outcome that process produced. The feel is "after doing X, and as a consequence of doing it, Y happened."
That is what separates it from an ordinary reason: 結果 points back to a deliberate, often drawn-out process and then announces what it yielded. It reads as neutral-to-formal and turns up constantly in writing, news, and academic or business Japanese.
よく話し合った結果、結論が出ました。
よく はなしあった けっか、けつろんが でました。
As a result of discussing it thoroughly, we reached a conclusion.
verb-た + 結果 = the outcome of a deliberate process.
ヤッタンは毎日努力した結果、試験に合格しました。
ヤッタンは まいにち どりょくした けっか、しけんに ごうかくしました。
As a result of working hard every day, Yattan passed the exam.
長い時間考えた結果、留学することに決めました。
ながい じかん かんがえた けっか、りゅうがくする ことに きめました。
After thinking about it for a long time, I decided to study abroad.
Three ways to attach it: 〜た結果, の結果, その結果
The pattern shows up in three shapes. A verb feeds in through its plain past (た-form), a noun feeds in through の, and その結果 stands on its own at the head of a sentence.
| Pattern | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + 結果 | verb-た + 結果（、） | 話し合った結果 (as a result of discussing) |
| Noun + 結果 | noun + の + 結果（、） | 努力の結果 (the result of effort) |
| Sentence-initial | その結果（、） | …。その結果、上達した。(…and as a result, I improved.) |
A comma (、) after 結果 is normal but optional. In the noun version the の is not droppable — it is noun + の + 結果 (努力の結果 ✓, not 努力結果, which reads like a single compound word), and the predicate that follows usually names what the result was: 努力の結果、成功した. This shape suits nouns like 努力 (effort), 調査 (investigation), or 試験 (exam):
努力の結果、モチはピアノが上手になりました。
どりょくの けっか、モチは ピアノが じょうずに なりました。
As a result of her effort, Mochi got good at the piano.
試験の結果は来週発表されます。
しけんの けっかは らいしゅう はっぴょう されます。
The exam results will be announced next week.
Here 結果 is a plain noun ('results'), not the grammar pattern.
Reach for その結果 when the process deserves a full sentence of its own. Finish that sentence, then open the next one with その結果 to deliver the outcome — and keep it there: その結果 begins a new sentence, so don't glue it mid-clause the way you would から.
弟は毎日漢字を練習した。その結果、すらすら書けるようになった。
おとうとは まいにち かんじを れんしゅうした。その けっか、すらすら かける ように なった。
My little brother practiced kanji every day. As a result, he became able to write it smoothly.
先生は説明を工夫した。その結果、学生の成績が上がった。
せんせいは せつめいを くふうした。その けっか、がくせいの せいせきが あがった。
The teacher refined her explanations. As a result, the students' grades went up.
Why the verb has to be past-tense
The single trap worth memorizing: the verb before 結果 is always た-form, never the dictionary form — 話し合った結果 (✓), not 話し合う結果 (✗). It isn't a random rule. 結果 announces the outcome of a finished process, so the verb naming that process must already be complete. If the action hasn't happened yet, there is no result to report, and 結果 simply doesn't apply.
Where 結果 stops and から / ので take over
から and ので connect any cause to its effect — including everyday, instantaneous reasons (寒いから窓を閉めた, "it was cold, so I closed the window"). 結果 is narrower: it presents the outcome of a process you went through.
- 結果 — emphasizes the end result of a deliberate process or effort: 何度も実験した結果、新しい方法を見つけた ("after experimenting many times, [we] found a new method").
- から/ので — link a plain reason to a result, with no sense of a drawn-out process: 時間がないから急ごう ("we have no time, so let's hurry").
So a quick sorting test: if you can naturally say "as a result of (doing) …," 結果 fits. If you just mean a bare "because" — 寒いから上着を着た (✓), never 寒い結果上着を着た (✗) — reach for から or ので instead.
The short version
- 結果 introduces the outcome of a process or effort.
- Verb-た + 結果, noun + の + 結果, or sentence-initial その結果.
- The verb before 結果 is always た-form (the process is finished).
- Neutral-to-formal; very common in writing and news.
- For a plain "because," use から / ので, not 結果.
Practice it
Choose the correct form: 〜た結果, 〜の結果, or その結果.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、問題は見つからなかった。
Frequently asked questions
Does the verb before 結果 have to be past tense?
Yes. Use the plain past (た-form): 調べた結果 ('as a result of investigating'). The process is already complete, so the dictionary form (調べる結果) is incorrect.
What's the difference between 〜た結果 and から/ので?
から/ので link any cause to its effect, including instant everyday reasons. 結果 specifically frames the outcome of a deliberate process or effort, so it carries a 'after going through X, Y resulted' feeling.
When do I use その結果 instead of 〜た結果?
Use その結果 when the process needs its own full sentence. Finish that sentence, then begin the next with その結果 to state the outcome: …した。その結果、…。
Is 結果 formal?
It's neutral-to-formal and extremely common in writing, news, business, and academic Japanese. It's fine in speech too, especially when describing a thought-out decision or an investigation.
Where 〜た結果 / その結果 fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- Past Tense · N5 — The plain past た-form means 'did.' It follows the same sound changes as the て-form (just て→た, で→だ): 食べた, 行った, 飲んだ. Learn it by verb group.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜によって · N3 — 〜によって is a versatile N3 pattern: means/method, 'varies depending on,' formal cause, and the agent in passive sentences. Learn all four senses plus による and によっては.
- 〜おかげで · N3 — 〜おかげで means 'thanks to' — a cause with a positive, grateful result: 先生のおかげで合格できた. Learn the formation, the set phrase おかげさまで, and how it contrasts with せいで.
Once this clicks, go on to
- 〜せいで · N3 — 〜せいで assigns blame: it marks a cause that led to a NEGATIVE result. Learn のせいで, せいか (maybe because), せいにする (to blame on), and せいで vs おかげで.
More N3 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- あまりに — あまりに(も) marks an extreme degree that triggers a result: あまりに疲れて寝てしまった. Learn the forms, the あまりの+noun+に pattern, and how it differs from あまり〜ない.
- 〜ほど〜ない — AはBほど〜ない means 'A is not as ~ as B': 今日は昨日ほど寒くない. Learn the word order, how it differs from より, and the extent use (死ぬほど疲れた).
- 〜さえ / 〜さえ〜ば — さえ adds 'even' to mark an extreme example (専門家さえ分からない). 〜さえ〜ば means 'if only / as long as' — one sufficient condition. Learn both, with でさえ and verb-stem + さえすれば.
- 〜次第 — 次第 has three jobs: ます-stem + 次第 = 'as soon as' (future only), noun + 次第だ = 'depends on,' and noun + 次第で = 'depending on.' Learn each with examples.
- 〜てからでないと — 〜てからでないと / 〜てからでなければ means 'unless you first do X, you can't do Y.' Learn the formation, the required negative main clause, and how it builds on てから.
- もしかしたら — もしかしたら / もしかすると / もしかして flag a possibility at the start of a sentence, almost always paired with 〜かもしれない. Learn the nuance, the forms, and common mistakes.