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TOPIK II · LEVEL 4

N에 따라

N에 따라 means 'depending on N' (things differ as N differs) or 'according to N, following N' (a rule, an instruction). It is the everyday way to say that something varies by age, region, season or person, and a key phrase for describing survey results.

정도·비교Degree & comparison

Han: The survey is the source of the figure, so it takes 에 따르면 'according to'. 에 따라 would mean the result changes depending on the survey.

Examples

이 회사는 경력에 따라 연봉이 정해집니다.At this company, the salary is set according to work experience.
지역에 따라 김치 맛이 조금씩 달라요.Kimchi tastes a little different depending on the region.
직원의 안내에 따라 천천히 이동해 주십시오.Please move slowly, following the staff's directions.
스마트폰 사용 시간은 나이에 따라 큰 차이를 보였다.Time spent on smartphones varied greatly by age.

Don’t mix up

N에 따라vs-(으)ㅁ에 따라The clause form: a whole sentence turned into a noun with -(으)ㅁ, in formal writing: 인구가 줄어듦에 따라 학교가 문을 닫고 있다 'As the population shrinks, schools are closing.' With a plain noun you need no -(으)ㅁ: 인구 감소에 따라.
N에 따라vsN에 따르면에 따르면 (3-03) names a source of information, 'according to (what N says)': 조사에 따르면 '(the) survey says…'. 에 따라 is about variation or following a rule, never about who said it.
N에 따라vsN마다In speech, 'it varies' is often said with 마다 'each': 사람마다 달라요 = 사람에 따라 달라요. 에 따라 sounds more neutral and careful, which is why reports prefer it.

How to build it

N에 따라(서)+다르다 / 달라지다
차이가 있다 · N에 따라+action (following a rule) · N에 따른+N

지역에 따라 김치 맛이 달라요. 안내에 따라 이동해 주십시오. 나이에 따른 차이가 크다.

  1. 'Depending on': N에 따라 is followed by a word of difference or change — 다르다, 달라지다, 차이가 있다/나다, 바뀌다: 사람에 따라 생각이 달라요 'It differs from person to person.' 서 can be added (따라서) with no change in meaning.
  2. 'According to, following': with a rule, a plan or an instruction, N에 따라 means you act as it says: 규칙에 따라, 직원의 안내에 따라. This is formal — notices and announcements; in speech the particle 대로 is more common, written together with the noun (unlike the verb form 하는 대로 from 3-04): 안내대로 하세요.
  3. Before a noun it becomes N에 따른 N: 나이에 따른 차이 'the difference by age', 지역에 따른 변화. In chart descriptions (TOPIK Q53): 연령에 따라 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다.
  4. Do not mix it up with N을/를 따라 'along N, after N' (강을 따라 걸었다 'walked along the river') or with the conjunction 따라서 'therefore' at the start of a sentence.

Classic mistake

Wrong: 조사에 따라 20대의 45%가 해외여행을 원한다.

Right: 조사에 따르면 20대의 45%가 해외여행을 원한다.

The survey is the source of the figure, so it takes 에 따르면 'according to'. 에 따라 would mean the result changes depending on the survey.

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