As was bound to happen: 〜べくして
Verb (dictionary) + べくして + same verb in た
V (dictionary) + べくして + same V in the past: “it was inevitable, it was bound to happen”. An observation after the fact, written register.
In short
〜べくして〜た says that something happened because it was bound to: “it was inevitable, it was always going to happen”. 事故は起こるべくして起こった: all the causes were there. It's used for an accident, a defeat, a victory or a meeting that you consider logical. Written register, press and essays.
- この事故は起こるべくして起こった。このじこはおこるべくしておこった。This accident was bound to happen: it was inevitable.
- あれだけ練習を重ねたチームだ。勝つべくして勝ったのだ。あれだけれんしゅうをかさねたちーむだ。かつべくしてかったのだ。With all the training that team has put in, it was always going to win.
- 二人は出会うべくして出会ったのだと思う。ふたりはであうべくしてであったのだとおもう。I think those two were meant to meet.
The basics
べく comes from べし (“must”). 〜べくして〜た means “being bound to do, it did”: the event was contained in its causes. You observe it after the fact, with an analyst's eye — English “an accident waiting to happen”, “it was on the cards”.
The structure is fixed: the same verb appears twice, first in the dictionary form before べくして, then in the past.
This accident was bound to happen: it was inevitable.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- これは起こるべくして起こった災害だと言わざるを得ない。これはおこるべくしておこったさいがいだといわざるをえない。One has to conclude that this disaster was bound to happen.
How to form it
V (dictionary) + べくして + same V in the past. With a する-verb: 失敗すべくして失敗した. It can also be used before a noun: 起こるべくして起こった事故.
| Verb | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 起こる | 起こるべくして起こった | it was inevitable |
| 勝つ | 勝つべくして勝った | a deserved, logical victory |
| 負ける | 負けるべくして負けた | a logical defeat |
| 失敗する | 失敗すべくして失敗した | a foreseeable failure |
| 出会う | 出会うべくして出会った | a meeting that was meant to be |
- 練習を怠ったチームは、負けるべくして負けた。れんしゅうをおこたったちーむは、まけるべくしてまけた。The team that had neglected its training lost, just as you'd expect.
- 彼の優勝は、勝つべくして勝った結果だ。かれのゆうしょうは、かつべくしてかったけっかだ。His victory is the logical result of everything he did.
べくして, のは当然だ, はずだった
〜のは当然だ says the same thing more directly and commonly (事故が起こったのは当然だ). 〜はずだった, on the contrary, expresses a disappointed expectation (勝つはずだった: we were supposed to win, but…). 〜べくして stresses the relentless logic of causes, in a commentator's style.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 勝つべくして勝った | he won; it was only logical |
| 勝ったのは当然だ | it's natural that he won |
| 勝つはずだった | he was supposed to win (but lost) |
- あれほど準備したのだから、合格したのは当然だ。あれほどじゅんびしたのだから、ごうかくしたのはとうぜんだ。After preparing like that, it's no surprise he passed. (everyday)
- 勝つはずだった試合に、まさか負けるとは。かつはずだったしあいに、まさかまけるとは。Who'd have thought we'd lose a match we were supposed to win! (はずだった)
Common mistakes
- Changing verbs: it's 起こるべくして起こった, never “起こるべくして発生した”.
- Using it for a prediction: べくして observes after the fact; the second verb is in the past.
- Confusing it with 〜べく (“in order to”): 勝つべく練習した = “practised in order to win”.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Hokkaidō Line (Classical and formal language) of the Shinkansen.