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JLPT N3Connectives

～に応じて— Depending On; In Accordance With

Means that something changes or is adjusted in accordance with a variable factor. It conveys that the result flexibly matches the preceding condition (situation, ability, amount, etc.). Often used for tailoring, adapting, or scaling something to circumstances.

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Pro lessonUNIT 61 · CONNECTIVES

Structure · 形

[Noun] + に応じて / [Noun] + に応じた + [Noun]

Examples · 例文

  • 収入に応じて税金が決まる。

    Shuunyuu ni oujite zeikin ga kimaru.

    Taxes are determined according to income.

    収入 (income) + に応じて; the tax scales with the varying income

  • お客様の希望に応じて、プランを変更します。

    Okyakusama no kibou ni oujite, puran wo henkou shimasu.

    We change the plan according to the customer's wishes.

    希望 (wishes) + に応じて shows flexible adjustment to the request

  • 季節に応じた料理を出す店だ。

    Kisetsu ni oujita ryouri wo dasu mise da.

    It's a restaurant that serves dishes suited to the season.

    に応じた modifies the noun 料理, meaning 'suited to the season'

Usage notes · 注意

  • Register: formal/written; common in official and business contexts.
  • Use に応じた (past-tense form) when directly modifying a noun.
  • Implies flexible variation matching a changeable factor.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～に応じて is tested against.

vsによって

に応じて stresses flexibly adjusting to match a variable, while によって more neutrally states that something varies by a factor or indicates means/cause.

vsに従って

に応じて adapts to a changing condition, whereas に従って means following a rule, instruction, or gradual change.

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