Can I say "私によると (watashi ni yoru to)" to mean "according to me"?

No, you cannot use "私によると" in Japanese. Nによると is strictly used for external sources of information (like the news, a friend, or a teacher). If you want to express your own opinion ("In my opinion / I think"), you should use 私の意見では (watashi no iken de wa) or simply end your sentence with ～と思います (to omoimasu).

What is the difference between "Nによると" and "Nによって"?

Nによると means "according to N" (used for reporting information). Nによって means "depending on N" or "by N".

Do I really have to use "～そうです" or "～らしい" at the end of the sentence?

Yes, it is highly recommended! If you say "ニュースによると、明日あしたは雨あめが降ふります," it sounds slightly unnatural to native speakers. Since you are stating information you got from somewhere else (not a fact you are guaranteeing yourself), pairing it with a hearsay ending like ～そうです or ～ということだ makes your Japanese sound perfectly natural.

Nによると (N ni yoru to) Meaning & Usage: “According to N” in Japanese (JLPT N3)

contents

Introduction
1. Meaning: What does Nによると mean?
- Core idea
- Common sources used with Nによると
2. Formation
- Grammar breakdown
3. Useful Examples
4. Related grammar
5. Practice
FAQ
Conclusion

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to say “according to the news,” “according to the weather forecast,” or “according to what my friend said” in Japanese?

When you want to report information from a source and make that source clear, Japanese often uses Nによると.

1. Meaning: What does Nによると mean?

Nによると means:

according to N
based on N
from what N says

It is used when you are conveying information you got from another source and want to make that source clear.

Core idea

With this grammar:

N = the source of the information
the rest of the sentence = the information you are reporting

Common sources used with Nによると

This pattern is used with nouns such as:

ニュース = the news
天気予報てんきよほう = the weather forecast
新聞しんぶん = the newspaper
専門家せんもんか（の話はなし） = what an expert said

2. Formation

Noun + によると、Sentence

This pattern is used with hearsay / reported-information grammar at the end of the sentence, such as:

Grammar breakdown

に (particle)
Marks the basis or source.
よる (verb)
In this expression, it has the meaning of “to be based on / according to.”
と (particle)
In によると, it forms a set expression meaning “according to.”

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3. Useful Examples

天気予報てんきよほうによると、来週らいしゅうから気温きおんが下さがるそうです。
According to the weather forecast, temperatures are expected to drop starting next week.

今朝けさの新聞しんぶんによると、駅前えきまえに新あたらしい図書館としょかんができるみたいです。
According to this morning’s newspaper, it looks like a new library is going to be built in front of the station.

田中部長たなかぶちょうの話はなしによると、ゆうじさんは来月らいげつアメリカへ出張しゅっちょうするそうです。
According to Manager Tanaka, Yuuji is going on a business trip to the United States next month.

うわさによると、あの二人ふたりは付つき合あっているらしい。
Rumor has it that those two are dating.

4. Related grammar

Nによれば (A close variation)

You may also see Nによれば, which means the same thing.

Example: According to the weather forecast, it’s supposed to rain this afternoon.

天気予報てんきよほうによると、午後ごごから雨あめだそうです。
天気予報によれば、午後から雨だそうです。

Compared with によると, によれば sounds a little more formal or written, but both are common.

Nによると + ～そうだ / ～らしい / ～ということだ

Nによると shows the source, but it does not by itself fully express hearsay.
That is why it is often used together with grammar such as:

Compare: According to the news, gasoline prices are set to rise starting next week.

ニュースによると、来週らいしゅうからガソリンの値段ねだんが上あがるそうだ。
ニュースによると、来週からガソリンの値段が上がるらしい。
ニュースによると、来週からガソリンの値段が上がるということだ。

All are natural, but the nuance is slightly different:

～そうだ → straightforward hearsay
～らしい → slightly softer / “apparently”
～ということだ → more formal, often used in reports or business contexts

Nの話では

～の話はなしでは can also introduce a source, similar to Nによると. However, there is an important difference: ～の話では can only be used when the source is a person (or group of people) who actually said something. It cannot be used with impersonal sources like newspapers, forecasts, or reports.

先生せんせいの話はなしでは、今回こんかいのJLPTは少すこし難むずかしかったそうです。
According to my teacher, this JLPT was a little difficult.
✖ 天気予報てんきよほうの話はなしでは、明日あしたは雨あめだそうです。
→ Use 天気予報によると instead.
天気予報によると、明日は雨だそうです。= According to the weather forecast, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow.

Nによって vs. Nによると

While they look similar, their meanings are completely different.

Nによると = According to N (Source of information)
Nによって = Depending on N (or “By N” in passive sentences)
- 人ひとによって意見いけんは異ことなります。= Opinions vary from person to person.
- 大阪城おおさかじょうは豊臣秀吉とよとみひでよしによってつくられました。= Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

5. Practice

Translate the following English into Japanese using Nによると.

English	Example Answer
According to the weather forecast, it will snow tonight.	天気予報てんきよほうによると、今夜こんやは雪ゆきが降ふるそうです。
According to my friend, that movie is very interesting.	友ともだちによると、あの映画えいがはとてもおもしろいそうです。
According to the newspaper, a new station will be built there.	新聞しんぶんによると、そこに新あたらしい駅えきができるということです。

FAQ

Q Can I say “私によると (watashi ni yoru to)” to mean “according to me”?: A

No, you cannot use “私によると” in Japanese. Nによると is strictly used for external sources of information (like the news, a friend, or a teacher).

If you want to express your own opinion (“In my opinion / I think”), you should use 私の意見では (watashi no iken de wa) or simply end your sentence with ～と思います (to omoimasu).

Q What is the difference between “Nによると” and “Nによって”?: A

Nによると means “according to N” (used for reporting information).

Nによって means “depending on N” or “by N”.

Q Do I really have to use “～そうです” or “～らしい” at the end of the sentence?: A

Yes, it is highly recommended! If you say “ニュースによると、明日あしたは雨あめが降ふります,” it sounds slightly unnatural to native speakers. Since you are stating information you got from somewhere else (not a fact you are guaranteeing yourself), pairing it with a hearsay ending like ～そうです or ～ということだ makes your Japanese sound perfectly natural.

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to use Nによると (N ni yoru to) to show the source of information in Japanese.

With this grammar, you can now:

say naturally “according to N”,
make it clear where your information comes from,
and combine it with hearsay expressions like ～そうだ, ～らしい, and ～ということだ for more natural Japanese.

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Reviewer: Chihiro Hanami

Japanese native and language educator with about 10 years of experience teaching and developing courses and materials.
She studied and taught in 5 different countries. Her most recent teaching role was at University of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
Other than teaching all levels of Japanese in various settings from personal tutoring to college courses, she also has experience writing articles about Japanese language and culture and teaching English.
Education: M.A. in Japanese pedagogy, Purdue University. B.A from the school of Japanese language and culture, Tsukuba University.