Nによって (N ni yotte) Meaning & Usage: “Depending on N / it depends on N” in Japanese

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to say “It depends on the person,” “Prices vary by store,” or “The result changes depending on how much you study” in Japanese?

When you want to say that something is different, changes, or varies according to N, JLPT N3 grammar Nによって is a very useful pattern.

1. Meaning: What does Nによって mean?

Nによって means:

• depending on N
• it varies with N
• it depends on N

It is used when the result is not the same in every case, and changes based on what N is.

Core idea

You use Nによって when you want to say: “If N changes, the result also changes.”

This pattern often appears with verbs such as:

• 違ちがう = to differ
• 異ことなる = to differ / to be different
• 変かわる = to change

So a very common pattern is:

Nによって + Xが違う / 異なる / 変わる

2. Formation

N + によって + clause

Notes (grammar breakdown)

• に (particle)
  Marks the basis or factor.
• よって
  Comes from the verb よる (“to depend on / to be due to / to be based on”).
  Here it appears in the て-form: よる → よって

Practical tip: It is easiest to learn によって as one set phrase meaning “depending on / according to.”

Embedded question

You can also use an embedded question before によって:

• 何なにをするかによって
• どこに住すむかによって
• どれだけ勉強べんきょうするかによって

This means:

• depending on what you do
• depending on where you live
• depending on how much you study

3. Useful Examples

店みせによって、同おなじ商品しょうひんでも値段ねだんが異ことなる。
Even for the same product, prices can differ quite a bit depending on the store.

話はなす相手あいてによって、言葉ことばづかいを変かえたほうがいい。
You should change your way of speaking depending on who you are talking to.

天気てんきによって、イベントの場所ばしょが変かわることがあります。
Depending on the weather, the event location may change.

どのくらい練習れんしゅうするかによって、上達じょうたつの速はやさは変かわります。
How fast you improve changes depending on how much you practice.

4. Note: Another meaning of によって

If “depending on N” doesn’t make sense in a sentence, try one of these other meanings!

Passive Agent (by)

によって can also mean “by” when it marks the agent in a passive sentence.

In this usage, it does not mean “depending on.” Instead, it shows who did the action.

カップ麺めんは安藤あんどう 百福ももふくによって開発かいはつされた。
Cup noodles were developed by Momofuku Ando.

Cause/Reason (due to / because of)

台風たいふうによって電車でんしゃが止とまりました。
The train stopped due to the typhoon.

Means/Method (by means of / through)

インターネットによって世界中せかいじゅうの情報じょうほうを得えることができる。
We can get information from all over the world through/by means of the internet.

5. Related grammar (comparison)

Nしだいで

Nしだいで (次第で) also means “depending on N,” but it often suggests that the outcome depends on a decision, condition, effort, or situation, and sometimes has a stronger sense of uncertainty.

• 天気てんきしだいで、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしになるかもしれない。= Depending on the weather, the game may be canceled.

Compared with によって, しだいで often sounds a bit more like “the result will be determined by N.”

The particle “で” alone can sometimes express the meaning of “depending on.”

• 試合しあいの勝敗しょうはいは、ピッチャーの調子ちょうしで決きまるだろう。= The outcome of the (baseball) game will likely be decided by the pitcher’s performance.
  • You can also say: 試合の勝敗は、ピッチャの調子によって…。

Nによる + Noun

This is a related pattern, but it modifies a noun.

• 国くにによる違ちがい = differences depending on the country

Nによっては

Nによっては means “for some N / depending on N, sometimes…”

It is often used when the statement applies in some cases but not all.

• 国くにによっては、水みずがそのまま飲のめないところもある。 = In some countries, there are places where you cannot drink the tap water as it is.

Nによって is usually followed by verbs of variety or change (違う, 変わる).

Nによっては is usually followed by a specific possibility or exception (〜かもしれない, 〜こともある).

Example: この薬くすりは、人ひとによっては副作用ふくさようが出でることがあります。= Depending on the person, this medicine might have side effects for some.

6. Practice

Translate the following English into Japanese using によって.

FAQ

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to use Nによって (N ni yotte) to say that something changes, differs, or depends on N.

With this grammar, you can now:

• describe how results vary depending on people, places, or conditions,
• use natural patterns like Nによって違う / 変わる,
• and build more advanced sentences such as どれだけ〜かによって to explain what a result depends on.