Grammar › Timing & Sequence
次第(しだい) — “as soon as; depends on”
Either promises quick action right after something happens, or says an outcome hinges on a factor
次第 has two common N3 uses: verb stem + 次第 means “as soon as X happens, (I'll do Y)” — a promise of prompt action (着き次第、連絡します — I'll contact you as soon as I arrive); noun + 次第 means the outcome depends entirely on that noun (天気次第です — it depends on the weather).
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb stem + 次第 | 準備ができ次第、始めます — We'll begin as soon as preparations are ready |
| Noun + 次第 | すべてはあなた次第です — It's all up to you |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 詳細がわかり次第、お知らせします。 | しょうさいがわかりしだい、おしらせします。 shousaigawakarishidai、oshiraseshimasu。 | I'll let you know as soon as I know the details. |
| 明日の予定は天気次第です。 | あしたのよていはてんきしだいです。 ashitanoyoteihatenkishidaidesu。 | Tomorrow's plans depend on the weather. |
| 結果次第で、次のステップを考えます。 | けっかしだいで、つぎのすてっぷをかんがえます。 kekkashidaide、tsuginosuteppuwokangaemasu。 | I'll decide the next step depending on the result. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
The “as soon as” sense needs a verb stem (着き次第); the “depends on” sense needs a bare noun (天気次第) — mixing the two forms up is an easy mistake since they share the same word.