N3 Methods, Scope, and Relation

~によって③ (Variety): meaning, usage and examples

~によって③ (Variety) means: depending on...

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

Examples

1. 人ひとによって、好すきな食たべ物ものは違ちがいます。

   Favorite foods differ depending on the person.

2. 国くにによって、文化ぶんかが違ちがう。

   Culture differs depending on the country.

3. 日ひによって、店みせの開あく時間じかんが変かわります。

   The store's opening time changes depending on the day.

4. 天気てんきによっては、試合しあいが中止ちゅうしになることもあります。

   Depending on the weather, the game is sometimes canceled.

When to use it

Means "depending on." Use it to say that something changes or differs from case to case: 人ひとによって考かんがえ方かたが違ちがう, 店みせによって値段ねだんが違ちがう. The end of the sentence usually has a word of difference or variety, such as 違ちがう, 変かわる, いろいろ, or さまざま, which signals that this is the variety meaning.

Nuance

Neutral; common in speech and writing. によっては picks out only some cases: 場所ばしょによっては雪ゆきが降ふる means "in some places it snows." The noun is a category that varies (people, countries, days, seasons), not one specific thing.

Compare

This is one of three によって points. Variety: 季節きせつによって景色けしきが変かわる (depending on). Cause: 台風たいふうによって木きが倒たおれた (because of). Method: 話はなし合あいによって決きめる (by means of). The end of the sentence tells you which one: a word of difference points to variety.

Tip: If the sentence ends in 違ちがう or 変かわる, によって means "depending on." Add は (によっては) when only some cases are different.