N1 Role, Status, and Evaluation

~に言いわせれば: meaning, usage and examples

~に言いわせれば means: if you ask... / in...'s opinion.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 私わたしに言いわせれば、その計画けいかくはまだ不十分ふじゅうぶんだ。

   If you ask me, that plan is still inadequate.

2. 専門家せんもんかに言いわせれば、その絵えは偽物にせものだそうだ。

   In the expert's opinion, that painting is apparently a fake.

3. 祖母そぼに言いわせれば、最近さいきんの若者わかものは我慢がまんが足たりないそうだ。

   If you ask my grandmother, young people these days lack patience.

4. 現場げんばの社員しゃいんに言いわせれば、新あたらしいシステムでかえって手間てまが増ふえたという。

   If you ask the staff on the ground, the new system has actually created more work.

When to use it

Introduces one particular person's opinion, often an opinion that differs from the general view: "if you ask X" or "according to X". It is common with 私わたし to state your own frank view: 私わたしに言いわせれば、その計画けいかくは甘あまい (if you ask me, that plan is naive). With experts or other people, it reports their personal judgment.

Nuance

Spoken and written, mostly neutral to casual. It implies a frank, sometimes critical judgment from a person with a firm view. It attaches only to people (or groups of people), not to documents or data. The second clause is an opinion or evaluation, not a plain fact.

Compare

によると reports information from a source: 天気てんき予報よほうによると雨あめだ (according to the forecast, it will rain). に言いわせれば gives a personal opinion: 父ちちに言いわせれば、天気てんき予報よほうは当あてにならない. Compare からすれば, which judges from a standpoint: 親おやからすれば心配しんぱいだ (from a parent's point of view). に言いわせれば stresses that this person would say so.

Tip: If you can put "if you ask" in front of the person in English, に言いわせれば fits. Do not use it with a newspaper or report as the source.