GrammarJLPT N5
→ according to
According to / Due to / Depending on / By means of
JLPT N5Compound particleNeutral
〜によって is a versatile compound particle that expresses several related ideas: it can indicate the source of information ("according to"), the cause or reason for something ("due to"), variation depending on conditions ("depending on"), or the agent or means by which something is done ("by" in passive sentences or "by means of"). The form changes slightly depending on what follows: 〜によって typically appears before a verb or at the end of a clause, 〜により is a more formal written variant, 〜によると or 〜によれば are specifically used for reporting information sources, and 〜による modifies a noun directly. Despite its multiple uses, the underlying thread connecting them is the idea of something being channeled, mediated, or conditioned "through" a particular thing or person. Learners should be careful to distinguish 〜によって from 〜で, which can also indicate cause or means but is less formal and less specific in nuance.
Functions
#1 Expressing cause or reason
Structure
Noun + によって + result/consequence
大きい 台風 によって 家が こわれました。
Here によって indicates the cause or reason for something happening. The typhoon is presented as the direct cause that led to the house being destroyed. This usage is common in news reports and formal descriptions of events, and it emphasizes the causal agent more strongly than the simpler particle で would.The house was destroyed due to a large typhoon.
Structures
- Noun
- Noun + によって / により / による + Noun
Common mistakes
A common mistake is using によって when によると or によれば is needed for citing information sources; saying "ニュースによって" instead of "ニュースによると" when meaning "according to the news" is incorrect. Another frequent error is confusing によって with 〜で for expressing cause; while both can indicate a reason, によって is more formal and emphasizes the causal agent, whereas で is used more casually and broadly. Learners also sometimes forget that when によって modifies a noun directly, it must change to による (e.g., "台風による被害" not "台風によって被害"). Finally, some learners overuse によって in casual conversation where simpler expressions like 〜で or 〜のせいで would be more natural.
Related
〜によると〜で (cause)〜のせいで〜のおかげで〜次第で〜に応じて