~た結果・~の結果 (~ta kekka / ~no kekka) Meaning & Usage: “As a Result of” in Japanese

level3 (N3)

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to say “After discussing it, we decided…” or “As a result of the vote…” in Japanese?

For example:

  • How do you report what a team decided after talking it over?
  • How do you say “I lost 3 kilos as a result of dieting”?
  • What expression do Japanese speakers use to announce the outcome of a survey, an election, or a medical test?

When you want to state what came out of a process—thinking, trying, investigating, voting—Japanese uses ~た結果 / ~の結果 (~ta kekka / ~no kekka).


1. Meaning: What does ~結果 mean?

結果けっか is a noun meaning “result / outcome.” Used as grammar, ~結果 means “as a result of doing A, B happened.”

Common English equivalents:

  • as a result of ~
  • after ~ing, (we decided / it turned out) …
  • ~ resulted in …

✅ The action in front of 結果 is usually a process that takes time or effort:

  • discussing, thinking, negotiating (相談そうだんする、はなう、検討けんとうする)
  • trying hard, continuing (努力どりょくする、頑張がんばる、つづける)
  • investigating, testing, voting (調査ちょうさ検査けんさ投票とうひょう抽選ちゅうせん)

Example:

ダイエットを頑張がんばった結果けっか体重たいじゅうが5キロった。
As a result of working hard on my diet, I lost 5 kilos.

The result can be good or bad

~結果 itself is neutral. It simply reports the outcome, whether that outcome is welcome or not.

  • Good: 抽選ちゅうせん結果、ゲームたった。= As a result of the drawing, I won a game console.
  • Bad: 遅刻ちこくした結果試験しけんけられなかった。= As a result of being late, I couldn’t take the exam.

This is an important difference from ~たあげく, which is always negative (see section 4).


2. Formation

There are two patterns.

① V-た + 結果

Attach 結果 to the plain past (た form) of a verb. The present form is not used here.

  • 相談そうだんする (to discuss) → 相談した結果
    • You never say “相談そうだんする結果”
  • かんがえる (to think) → かんがた結果
  • はなう (to talk over) → 話した結果
  • 頑張がんばる (to try hard) → 頑張った結果

② Noun + の + 結果

With a noun, insert . The noun is normally an action noun (something you do), very often a する-verb noun.

  • 投票とうひょうの結果 = as a result of the vote
  • 調査ちょうさの結果 = as a result of the survey
  • 検査けんさの結果 = as a result of the examination
  • 抽選ちゅうせんの結果 = as a result of the drawing

Key rule: the sentence ends in the past

Because you are reporting an outcome that has already happened, the second half of the sentence normally ends in ~た (past tense).

  • 努力どりょくした結果、N3に合格ごうかく。= As a result of my efforts, I passed N3.
  • ❌ 努力した結果、N3に合格ごうかくます

However, if the result is a decision about the future, the sentence can end in the present/future tense. E.g, はなった結果けっか来月らいげつのイベントは中止ちゅうしします。(As a result of our discussion, we will cancel next month’s event.)

Practical tip: ~結果 sounds slightly formal. It is very common in news, reports, announcements, and business speech.


Understanding grammar is one thing. Using it naturally is another.
Practice this expression with a native Japanese tutor.

Practice with a tutor →

3. Useful Examples

① Vた + 結果

Situation: The graduating class has been arguing about where to go on their class trip. Yumi reports the decision.

John
John

卒業旅行そつぎょうりょこう、どこにまったの?
So where did you decide to go for the graduation trip?

Yumi
Yumi

みんなで相談そうだんた結果北海道ほっかいどうくことにしたよ。
After discussing it as a group, we decided to go to Hokkaido.


Situation: Ken overslept on the day of an important exam.

Ken
Ken

遅刻ちこくた結果試験しけんけられなかったんだ。
As a result of being late, I wasn’t able to take the exam.

Emi
Emi

それはつらいね……。つぎをつけてね。
That’s rough… Be careful next time.


何度なんどはなた結果、ようやく意見いけんがまとまった。
After talking it over many times, we finally reached an agreement.


② Noun + の + 結果

Situation: The team has just finished voting for a new leader.

Saori
Saori

投票とうひょうの結果田中たなかさんがリーダーにえらばれました。
As a result of the vote, Mr. Tanaka was chosen as leader.

Koki
Koki

納得なっとく結果けっかですね。
That’s a result everyone can accept.


抽選ちゅうせんの結果、ゲームたった。
As a result of the drawing, I won a game console.


アンケート調査ちょうさの結果将来しょうらいなりたい職業しょくぎょうの1会社員かいしゃいんだということがわかった。
The survey found that the most popular future career choice was “company employee.”


検査けんさの結果とく問題もんだいつからなかった。
The examination found no particular problems.


4. Related grammar (comparison)

~たあげく

Also means “after ~ing, in the end…”, but あげく is always negative. It carries the feeling that a long, troublesome process ended badly.

  • 長時間ちょうじかんまよたあげくなにわなかった。= After agonizing for ages, I ended up buying nothing.
  • 努力どりょくたあげく試験しけん合格ごうかくした。
    • Passing is a good outcome, so あげく doesn’t fit. Use 努力した結果、試験に合格した。

~たすえ

末に emphasizes that the process was long and difficult before a final decision or conclusion was reached. The outcome can be good or bad, but the focus is on the struggle rather than on cause and effect.

  • なやんだ末に留学りゅうがくすることにした。= After much agonizing, I decided to study abroad.
    • You can also say 悩んだ結果、留学することにした。The 結果 version simply reports the outcome; the 末に version stresses how hard the decision was.

結果けっかとして

結果として means “as a (final) result” and is used on its own as a connector at the start of a sentence. It often suggests the outcome was not what anyone planned.

  • 値段ねだんげた。結果として利益りえきってしまった。= We lowered the price. As a result, profits fell.

5. Common Mistake: ~た結果 (ta kekka) vs. ~てから (te kara)

Because both can be translated as “after ~ing,” learners often swap them. Remember this golden rule:

  • ~た結果: B is the outcome produced by A. There is a cause-and-effect link.
  • ~てから: B simply happens later in time than A. No cause-and-effect needed.

Example: I washed my hands, then ate lunch. (Just a sequence.)

  • ❌ Incorrect: あらた結果ひるごはんをべた。
  • ✅ Correct: 手を洗ってから、昼ごはんを食べた。

Example: We examined the data, and the cause became clear. (Real cause and effect.)

  • ✅ Correct: データを調しらた結果原因げんいんがわかった。(As a result of examining the data, we identified the cause.)
  • △ Weak: データを調べてから、原因がわかった。(This sounds like the two events just happened in order.)

One more check: the action before 結果 must be a process, not an instant action. ❌ ドアをけた結果、部屋へやはいった is unnatural for the same reason.


6. Practice

Translate the following English into Japanese using ~た結果 or ~の結果.

EnglishExample Answer
After discussing it as a group, we decided to go to Hokkaido for the graduation trip.みんなで相談そうだんた結果卒業旅行そつぎょうりょこう北海道ほっかいどうくことにしました。
As a result of working hard on my diet, I lost 3 kilos.ダイエットを頑張がんばた結果体重たいじゅうが3キロった。
As a result of the vote, Mr. Tanaka was chosen as leader.投票とうひょうの結果田中たなかさんがリーダーにえらばれた。

7. FAQ

Q
Can I use the present tense before 結果, like 相談する結果?
A

No. With verbs, this grammar only takes the た form: 相談そうだん結果.

The logic is simple—the action has to be finished before a result can exist. For the same reason, the end of the sentence is normally in the past tense too.

Q
Is ~結果 only used for good results?
A

No, it is neutral and works for both.

Good: 努力どりょくした結果合格ごうかくした。= I studied hard and passed.

Bad: 遅刻ちこくした結果試験しけんけられなかった。= Because I was late, I couldn’t take the exam.

If you specifically want a negative, regrettable ending, ~たあげく is the stronger choice.

Q
How is ~た結果 different from ~ので or ~から?
A

~ので and ~から state a reason for anything, including opinions, requests, and future plans. E.g., いそがしいからけません。= I can’t go because I’m busy.

~た結果 reports the outcome of a completed process that took time or effort. It cannot be used for a simple state like 忙しい, and it doesn’t work with requests or invitations.

It also sounds more formal, so you’ll hear it most in reports, news, and business situations.

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to use ~た結果 / ~の結果 to say “as a result of ~” in Japanese.

With this grammar, you can now:

  • report the outcome of a discussion, effort, or investigation,
  • connect an action and its consequence clearly and formally,
  • and tell ~結果 apart from ~たあげく, ~た末に, and ~てから.
Ready to start speaking Japanese?
Try a gokigen japanese lesson and practise with a friendly native tutor.

Book a trial lesson $5

Online 1on1 · ~50min · First lesson only $5

Author

  • gokigen japanese

    gokigen japanese is an online Japanese tutoring service launched in 2023. Flexible, interactive, and culture-rich, gokigen japanese supports learners at all levels with bilingual Japanese tutors.
    Over 1,000 students from 30+ countries have used our 300+ original materials, including grammar guides and cultural content.

    gokigen japanese was founded by Hirofumi Naramura, a Kyoto University graduate and former Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (2010–2020). The service has received recognition such as the Chiyoda CULTURE x TECH Award 2024 and acceptance into NEXs Tokyo, a startup program by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.