Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 3: 12/23

次第(しだい)だ

Depending on, So

Structure

Noun + 次第(しだい) + だ
Noun + 次第(しだい)で

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About 次第だ・次第で

Coming after another noun, 次第(しだい) 'directly following' is a noun that will often be used in a similar way to a suffix. In these cases, it will be followed by だ, or で and a part (B) statement. In this use, 次第(しだい) will be translated as 'depending on (A), (B)', or '(B) depends on (A)'. (A) will most frequently highlight a person or some specific situation that is considered to be in control of what happens next.
  • 夢(ゆめ)をかなえられるかどうかは君(きみ)の努力(どりょく)次第(しだい)だ。
    Being able to make your dream come true or not depends on you.
  • 第一(だいいち)希望(きぼう)の大学(だいがく)へ入(はい)れるかは、試験(しけん)の結果(けっか)次第(しだい)だ。
    Whether I can go to the college of my first choice or not, depends on my test results.
  • 内装(ないそう)工事(こうじ)の完成(かんせい)日(び)次第(しだい)で、鍵(かぎ)の引(ひ)き渡(わた)し日(び)が変(か)わる可能性(かのうせい)があります。
    Depending on the completion date of the interior construction, the date for handing over the key may change.
  • 値段(ねだん)次第(しだい)で、ナビを付(つ)けるか付(つ)けないかを決(き)めます。
    Depending on the price, I will decide on whether I want to install a navigation system or not.
Fun-fact - In all of its nuances, 次第(しだい) just expresses a sequence of events or deciding factors, and what either will or has happened due to that. This link can be seen in other grammar patterns like 次第(しだい) 'as soon as' , and 次第(しだい)です 'due to that', or 'as a result of that'.

Examples

  • 成功(せいこう)は大抵(たいてい)努力(どりょく)次第(しだい)だ。

    Success depends mostly on effort.

  • 天気(てんき)次第(しだい)で、日(ひ)帰(がえ)りか一泊(いっぱく)二日(ふつか)かを決(き)めます。

    Depending on the weather, we will decide on a daytrip or staying overnight.

  • ワインの渋味(しぶみ)は濃度(のうど)次第(しだい)だ。

    Wine's astringency depends on its concentration.

  • アイデア次第(しだい)で、売上(うりあげ)にかなりの違(ちが)いが出(で)てきます。

    Depending on the idea, a considerable difference in sales will show up.

  • 結果(けっか)次第(しだい)では、改(あらた)めて別(べつ)の検査(けんさ)が必要(ひつよう)になります。

    Depending on the results, you will need to be checked again using a different test.

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次第だ・次第で – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

  • wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    I just encountered the following example:

    育児がどれくらい大変になるかは、夫や家族がどれくらい協力してくれるか次第だ。
    How difficult child raising becomes depends on how much cooperation your husband and family give you.

    Given that 次第 is a noun suffix, I’m trying to understand how this sentence is grammatical. Does か act as a nominalizer here?

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    Hey @wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    か in here marks an embedded question and in some aspects, you can think of it as a noun phrase. Notice that particle 「は」also follows 「か」in
    育児がどれくらい大変になるかは part.

    This phenomenon is fairly common, for example in English you can also use quotations like nouns in some cases like:
    His “you are doing it wrong” is always pissing me off.

  • wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    OK, I see. Yeah, it does make sense now that you put it that way. I think I was interpretting the Noun + 次第だ structure too strictly. So 次第 can also be used with noun phrases. That’s good to know. Thanks!

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