次第as soon as; depends on; which is why
次第 does three jobs. After a verb stem it is a formal "as soon as". After a noun, with だ, で or では, it is "depends on". And after a verb in its plain form, 次第です closes a formal explanation: "which is why".
as soon as
As soon as the details are settled, we will let you know.
which is why
I am getting in touch to ask for the local community's help with a survey.
As soon as
Verb ます-stem + 次第
決まります → 決まり次第. A する-noun can drop the し: 到着し次第 or 到着次第.
Depends on
Noun + 次第だ／次第で／次第では
あなた次第だ, 天気次第で, 結果次第では.
Which is why
Verb in the plain form, mostly the た-form + 次第です
ご連絡した次第です.
As soon as: 決まり次第
What you are waiting for hasn't happened yet, and what follows is what will be done the moment it does: a promise, a request, an announcement. Offices, shops and stations talk this way. To a friend it is たら、すぐ.
We will contact you as soon as it is decided.
An office, to a customer.
I'll let you know as soon as it's decided.
You, to a friend.
Please show your ID at reception as soon as you arrive.
Registration will close as soon as all the places are filled.
It only looks ahead. It can't tell what already happened.
Not said: 駅に
(I called my mother as soon as I got to the station.)
駅に着いて、すぐ母に電話しました.
Depends on: あなた次第
The noun before it settles how things turn out. This one is at home in conversation too, mostly as a short answer.
Have you decided whether you're going on the trip?
Not yet. I guess it depends on everyone's schedule.
次第で is "depending on" in the middle of a sentence. 次第では picks out one way things may go, so the sentence usually ends in a "may".
With a little ingenuity, even a small room can be comfortable to live in.
Depending on how the negotiations turn out, the release may be postponed.
次第です: which is why
It rounds off an account of how you came to do something: why you are writing, why you have come, why a plan changed. It belongs to business emails, apologies and speeches. In conversation んです does the same job.
The safety check took longer than expected, which is why we changed the opening time.
We deeply apologize for the trouble we have caused you all.
With a humble verb of apologizing, thanking or asking, the dictionary form is usual: お願い申し上げる次第です. After a whole account, このような次第です wraps it up: "that is how things stand".
That being how things stand, we will not be taking part this time.
次第に is another word
次第にN4
With に, and nothing in front, it is an adverb: "gradually". It means what だんだん means, in writing, the news and weather forecasts.
The sky gradually grew light.
Close neighbours
たらN4
The everyday "when" and "once". With すぐ, it is how people say "as soon as" out loud.
Please call when you arrive at the station.
によって・によるN3
Things vary with it: 人による, it depends on the person. 次第 says more: that one thing settles it.
Business hours vary from store to store.
いかんN1
The same "depends on" in stiff official writing and speeches.
Depending on how the negotiations go, the summit may be postponed.
んですN5
The everyday way to give what lies behind something. 次第です is its formal cousin.
The train was delayed.
Check yourself
1Which sentence can be said?
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does this say?
合格できるか
Choose an answer to see why.
3What does this say?
一言
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
As soon as the person in charge is back, we will return your call.
Services will resume as soon as the weather improves.
Whether we hire someone depends on how they answer at the interview.
Depending on how hard you work, you may even reach your goal in six months.
I felt I should explain in person how this came about, which is why I have come today.
Many customers asked us to, and so we have decided to keep the service going.