ENGLISH
REFERENCE

depends

v. · interj.
US //dɪˈpɛndz// UK //dɪpˈɛndz// de·pends
  1. 1 to be decided by something else (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to be decided or influenced by something else.

    to be contingent on or determined by a specific condition or factor; always used with the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.

    Example

    The success of our picnic depends on the weather tomorrow morning.

    Example

    The feasibility of the entire project depends on the board's willingness to approve the additional funding requested in the latest report.

    Usage

    The verb is intransitive and requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the object.
    Pitfall
    The price depends of the size.
    The price depends on the size.

    In English, the verb 'depend' always takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon', never 'of'.

  2. 2 it is not certain (interj.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    you say this when you cannot give a simple 'yes' or 'no' because you need more information.

    a shortened form of 'it depends', used as a standalone response to indicate that an answer is contingent on unspecified factors.

    Example

    "Are you coming to the party?" "Depends. Is your brother going to be there?"

    Example

    "Will the repairs be finished by Friday?" "Depends; if the parts arrive tomorrow, we should be on schedule."

    Teacher's tip

    While common in speech, this shortened form should be avoided in formal writing where 'It depends on...' is preferred.

Last updated June 19, 2026