Proper use of ため to thank someone for doing x？

Question

I know ため can be translated into English as "for" such-and-such.

But is it appropriate to use it to thank some one for doing something?

For example, "Thank you for your email address." Would it be grammatically accurate to say: メールアドレスためありがとうございます。

Google translate seems to understand the sentence perfectly fine. But would a native speaker scratch their head at that use of ため in this manner?

Answer 1

Using ため as the 'for' in 'thank you for' is strange.

Off the top of my head I can think of 4 ways we normally use ありがとう to say thanks for something.

1. masu-stem of the verb + ありがとう (this one's particularly formal)
   メールアドレスを教えていただき有難う御座います。
   Thank you for telling me your email address.

2. te-form of the verb + ありがとう
   メールアドレスを教えてくれてありがとう。
   Thanks for telling me your email address.

3. noun + ありがとう
   メアドありがとう！
   Thanks for your email address!

4. noun + を + ありがとう
   メッセージをありがとう
   Thanks for your message

There's lots of other expressions which don't use ありがとう like:

～についてお礼を申し上げます
～に対し感謝します

ため is 'for' as in for the benefit or purpose of someone/something.

私のためにこんなすてきなパーティーを開いてくれてありがとう。
Thank you for throwing such a splendid party for me.

Answer 2

It might be easier to understand the usage if you think of ため as "for the sake of (smb/smth)".

会社{かいしゃ}のために働{はたら}く
Work in interests of the company [=for the sake of the company]

彼女{かのじょ}は娘{むすめ}のためなら何でもやる
She will do anything for her daughter. [=for the sake of her daughter]

正義{せいぎ}のために
In the cause of justice [=for the sake of justice]

A related meaning is "for the purpose of" or "with the goal of"

君{きみ}は何のためにここへ来{き}たのだ。
What have you come here for? [=for what purpose]

金{かね}のために働{はたら}く
Work for the money [= with the goal of getting money]

ため may also means "due to" or "because of". It seems to be used this way mostly in formal speech. You can often recognize it by the missing に (but this it not a 100% indicator).

飛行機{ひこうき}が台風{たいふう}のため欠航{けっこう}した。
The flight was canceled due to a typhoon.