connective N2 uncommon politewritten
〜次第 — as soon as ~ / depending on ~
〜次第 ・ しだい
Meaning
① as soon as (ます-stem + 次第): as soon as ~ / the moment ~ is done — the second action follows immediately, in a formal register
② depends entirely on (noun + 次第だ): depends entirely on ~ / it's all up to ~ — the outcome rests wholly on that one thing
Key sentence
① as soon as (ます-stem + 次第)
詳細が分かり次第、ご連絡いたします。
I'll contact you as soon as the details are known.
② depends entirely on (noun + 次第だ)
成功するかどうかは、君の努力次第だ。
Whether you succeed depends entirely on your effort.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb ます-stem (as soon as) | Vます-stem + 次第 | 着き次第 / 終わり次第 |
| Noun (depends on) | N + 次第だ | あなた次第 / 結果次第 |
When: Formal/written. The 'as soon as' use is common in business announcements; its second clause is a future plan, not a past event.
Examples
① as soon as (ます-stem + 次第)
準備ができ次第、出発します。
We'll set off as soon as preparations are finished.
先方から返事があり次第、お知らせします。
I'll let you know as soon as we hear back from them.
② depends entirely on (noun + 次第だ)
行くかどうかは天気次第です。
Whether we go is up to the weather.
地獄の沙汰も金次第。
Even matters of hell are settled by money. (proverb: money talks)
When you can't use it
- ます-stem + 次第 cannot describe a past event: ×「着き次第、電話した」. For a completed sequence use たら / たとたん instead — 次第 looks forward to something not yet done.
Easily confused with
〜たらすぐ(に) たらすぐ is the everyday 'as soon as' and works for past or future; ます-stem + 次第 is the formal version, restricted to a not-yet-done action followed by a planned next step. 〜次第で 次第だ (this page) says the result *depends entirely on* X as a predicate; 次第で adds で to say 'depending on X, the outcome varies' adverbially before a clause. による による / によって also express 'depending on'; 次第 is more personal and decisive ('it's all up to ~'), while による is the neutral 'varies according to ~'.
Notes
- A third, set use is 〜という次第だ ('this is how it came about'), a formal way to wrap up an explanation.
See 〜次第 in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜次第 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.