Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 2: 15/24

に沿(そ)ってAlong, In accordance with, In line with

Structure

Noun + にそって
Noun + にそった(1) + Noun

(1) にそう

Details

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    Formal

About に沿って

When used with the case marking particle に, the う-Verb 沿(そ)う 'to run alongside' in its て-form expresses that something is going 'along with (A)', 'in accordance with (A)', or 'in line with (A)'. This is primarily in relation to laws, conventions, traditions, needs, and other things which are not usually deviated away from. The nuance with this particular grammar structure is that (A) is the controlling factor, and (B) is being done with that in consideration.

に沿(そ)って may also appear with the verb in its standard form when paired with a second noun, in order to modify that noun.

As the base meaning of 沿(そ)う is 'to follow along', it will also regularly be seen in relation to going along some specific path or street.

While this grammar structure is relatively formal, when literally meaning 'alongside', it will be used fairly frequently.

Synonyms

Related

Examples

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    スケジュールに沿(そ)って作業(さぎょう)を進(すす)めていきます。

    I will continue operations in line with the schedule.

    この台本(だいほん)に沿(そ)って司会(しかい)してください。

    Please lead the meeting in accordance with the script.

    じゅうたんに沿(そ)ってしるしを付(つ)けるのはやめてほしい。

    I want you to stop making marks along the carpet.

    提示(ていじ)した資料(しりょう)に沿(そ)ってチェックを進(すす)めてください。

    Please continue the check in accordance with the presented materials.

    「道(みち)に沿(そ)っていったら、そのうちスーパーが見(み)えてきますよ」

    'If you go along the street, the supermarket will eventually come into view'.

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      に沿って – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

      • nekoyama

        nekoyama

        スーパー is a noun, but if it was modified by the clause it would be the supermarket itself that’s in accordance with the evacuation plan.

        So this is the first case, where the clause describes the entire phrase “gather in front of the supermarket”.

      • dokidokiwakuwaku

        dokidokiwakuwaku

        When would this point be used versus に従って？ For example, in the example sentence ”先生！時間割に沿って授業を進めた方がいいと思います,” would に従って not work in place of に沿って? Thank you!

      • casual

        casual

        Is it always incorrect to use を沿って instead of に沿って?

        Even though を is not listed in grammar explanations, I do see it come up in JPDB corpus, e.g.:

        • そして振り返らずに壁を沿って走りだす。
        • 道は森を沿って右にカーブしている。
        • 通りを沿って紅蓮の炎が一直線に噴出した。

        What seems to be common in these examples is that 沿う is used more in literal meaning (並行), not in the figurative meaning (基準).

        But it could also be that the examples are parsed out of lax writing of web novelists and are not “technically correct”, hence the question.

        There’s also bunpro’s vocab entry 沿う (JLPT N2) | Bunpro that never uses を.

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