〜によって vs 〜に応じて vs 〜次第で ni yotte · ni oujite · shidai de
〜によって marks a cause, means, agent, or variation; 〜に応じて means “in response to” or “according to”; 〜次第で makes the result depend on something. 方法によって points to differences by method. 必要に応じて means adjusting to need. 天気次第で means that the outcome hinges on the weather. Check the surrounding verb and context before choosing, because these phrases are not one-to-one English substitutes.
also written niyotte / ni ōjite / shidaide
depending on; by means of · in proportion to; to match · hinges entirely on
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
it simply varies
polite
。
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人
ひと ［0］
person; people
noun · read ひと here, not じん
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によって
によって
depending on
Noun ＋ によって · reports variation, without anyone adjusting anything
〜によってN2depending on
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考え方
かんがえかた ［5］
way of thinking
ます-stem 考え ＋ 方 · 〜方 makes “the way of doing” from any verb
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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違います
ちがいます
differ; are different
polite of 違う · takes が, not を — 違う is intransitive
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Ways of thinking differ from person to person.
it is being adjusted
polite
。
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人
ひと ［0］
person
noun · unchanged from the sentence above
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に応じて
におうじて
to suit; in response to
Noun ＋ に応じて · from 応じる, to respond — an intentional adjustment
〜に応じてN2in response to
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説明
せつめい ［0］
explanation
noun · 説 explain ＋ 明 clear
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の
の
links noun to noun
particle · A の B = B belonging to A
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仕方
しかた ［0］
way of doing
noun · 仕方がない is the famous idiom built from it
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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変えます
かえます
change (something)
polite of 変える · 変える changes something, 変わる changes by itself
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I change how I explain things to suit the person.
a proportion, set by rule
polite
。
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収入
しゅうにゅう ［0］
income
noun · 収 collect ＋ 入 enter
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に応じて
におうじて
in proportion to
Noun ＋ に応じて · the proportionality is the point, not just the variation
〜に応じてN2in proportion to
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保険料
ほけんりょう ［2］
insurance premium
noun · 保険 insurance ＋ 料 fee
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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決まります
きまります
is decided; is set
polite of 決まる · intransitive, so no one has to be named as deciding
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Premiums are set in proportion to income.
the same pair, merely varying
polite
。
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収入
しゅうにゅう ［0］
income
noun · unchanged from the sentence above
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によって
によって
according to
Noun ＋ によって · variation only — no claim that the two move together
〜によってN2according to
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保険料
ほけんりょう ［2］
premium
noun · same as above
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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違います
ちがいます
differ
polite of 違う · 違う pairs naturally with によって
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Premiums differ according to income.
one deciding factor
polite
。
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試合
しあい ［0］
match; game
noun · 試合をする is the ordinary verb phrase
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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する
する
to do; to hold
dictionary form · かどうか takes a plain form in any tense — 試合をしたかどうか works too
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かどうか
かどうか
whether or not
か ＋ どうか · turns a yes-or-no question into a noun phrase
〜かどうかN4whether or not
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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天気次第です
てんきしだいです
depends entirely on the weather
Noun ＋ 次第です · no の in front · one factor decides the whole thing
〜次第だN2hinges on
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Whether or not we play comes down to the weather.
the same factor, weaker
polite
。
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天気
てんき ［1］
weather
noun · 天 sky ＋ 気 air
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によって
によって
depending on
Noun ＋ によって · a possibility, where 次第 would be a verdict
〜によってN2depending on
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予定
よてい ［0］
plan; schedule
noun · 予 beforehand ＋ 定 fix
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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変わる
かわる ［0］
change
dictionary form of 変わる · intransitive, and plain because ことがある follows
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こと
こと
the act of; the fact of
noun · turns the verb in front into a noun
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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あります
あります
there are times when
ことがある · states that something happens sometimes, not that it did
〜ことがあるN4sometimes happens
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Plans sometimes change depending on the weather.
Structure
How do you form these three?
Noun＋によって
人によって, 場合によって. Usually followed by 違う, 異なる, 変わる. Before a noun: 人による考え方.
Noun＋によって
話し合いによって解決した; この本は夏目漱石によって書かれた. Same shape, different job — the verb tells you which.
Noun＋に応じて
収入に応じて, 状況に応じて. From 応じる, to respond — something is being adjusted in response. Before a noun: に応じた.
Noun＋次第で／次第だ
天気次第で, 君次第だ. No の in front. Sentence-final 〜次第です is very common: 全ては結果次第です.
Meaning
What's the difference between によって, に応じて and 次第で?
Three relationships that English flattens into one phrase.
によって just reports variation.人によって考え方が違います — it differs from person to person. Nobody is adjusting anything; the sentence only observes that the value is not constant. This is why 違う, 異なる and 変わる are its natural partners.
に応じて presents a response or adjustment to a condition.収入に応じて保険料が決まります — the premium is set so that it matches income. A rule or proportion is often involved. Swap in によって and you lose the proportionality: the premium would merely differ, without specifying the same responsive relationship.
次第で makes one thing the deciding vote.天気次第です — it all comes down to the weather. Stronger than the other two, and often the whole answer by itself: 君次第だ, it's up to you.
Two unrelated 次第s. On a ます-stem, 次第 means “the moment X happens” — 着き次第、連絡します. Same characters, different grammar, no shared meaning. That one is covered on the とたん page linked below.
Watch out
Where does this go wrong?
の before 次第
It is 天気次第, never 天気の次第. The noun attaches directly. This trips people who have internalised 〜のせいで and 〜のおかげで, which do take it.
によって where proportion matters
In a rulebook, 経験によって給料が決まります says salaries differ by experience; 経験に応じて says they scale with it. If there is a formula, に応じて is the accurate one.
The two 次第s
結果次第で決めます is “I'll decide depending on the result.” 結果が出次第、決めます is “I'll decide the moment the result is out.” Noun in front versus ます-stem in front — that is the only signal.
Also asked
Questions people ask about によって, に応じて and 次第で
How many meanings does によって have?
Four that matter: variation (人によって違う), means (話し合いによって解決する), cause (地震によって倒れた), and the agent of a passive (漱石によって書かれた). The verb after it tells you which one is running.
Is に応じて the same as に従って?
Close. に従って is about following — a rule, an instruction, or a trend moving together with another. に応じて is about matching a level or a request. 規則に従って follows the rule; 要望に応じて answers the request.
What does 次第です mean at the end of a business email?
There it is a third use — a humble way of presenting a situation: ご連絡差し上げた次第です, “which is why I am writing.” It is set-phrase keigo rather than the “depends on” grammar.
Can 次第 take a verb?
Not in the “depends on” sense — it wants a noun. To hang the outcome on a clause, nominalise it: どうするかは君次第だ, or use かどうかによって.
Which one is strongest?
次第で, by some distance. 君次第だ puts the entire outcome in one person's hands. によって merely notes that things vary, and に応じて sits between them.
What are による and に応じた?
The forms used in front of a noun: 人による違い, differences that depend on the person; 能力に応じた仕事, work matched to ability. Swap the て ending for the attributive one whenever a noun follows.
