Want to quote something you read or something someone told you? In Japanese, the best phrase to use is によると, which means “according to.” In this post, we’ll explore how to use によると to report what someone else said or what you learned from a source.
によると
According To...
JLPT Level: N4
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How to Use It
Use によると to report information you got from another person, book, article, or other source. It works just like “according to” in English. After によると, the sentence continues with と and a reporting verb like 言う (to say), 書いてある (it is written), or 思う (to think). You can also use the variation によれば, which is slightly more formal or hypothetical, but によると is more common in daily speech.
Usage Pattern
[Source] によると + [Statement] + と + 言う / 思う / 書いてある, etc.
Example 1
友だちによると、このレストランはおいしいらしい。
ともだち に よると、この れすとらん は おいしい らしい。
Tomodachi ni yoru to, kono resutoran wa oishii rashii.
According to my friend, this restaurant is good.
Example 2
天気予報によると、明日は雨が降ります。
てんきよほう に よると、あした は あめ が ふります。
Tenki yohō ni yoru to, ashita wa ame ga furimasu.
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
Example 3
ニュースによると、その事件はまだ解決していないそうです。
にゅーす に よると、その じけん は まだ かいけつ して いない そう です。
Nyūsu ni yoru to, sono jiken wa mada kaiketsu shite inai sō desu.
According to the news, the case hasn’t been solved yet.
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