Meaning & Usage
を踏まえて is a formal grammar pattern meaning "based on," "taking into account," or "considering." It comes from the verb 踏まえる — literally "to stand firmly on something." As a grammar pattern, it signals that an action, decision, or statement follows directly from prior facts, results, or experience.
What sets を踏まえて apart is that the information being "taken into account" must be objective, factual, or experiential — survey results, past failures, expert advice, research findings, or meeting outcomes. It does not work for speculation or imagination. This distinguishes it from ～を考えて (thinking about) and ～を念頭に置いて (keeping in mind), which apply more broadly.
を踏まえて belongs firmly in formal, written Japanese. It turns up in business documents, academic papers, news editorials, government announcements, and formal speeches. In casual conversation, it sounds stiff. For a similar idea in everyday speech, reach for ～を参考にして (using ~ as reference) or ～があったから (because ~ happened).
Picture someone planting their feet before taking a step — that image captures を踏まえて well. The speaker grounds their decision or statement in prior information, treating it as a firm foundation rather than background context. The prior fact actively shapes what comes next; it is not mere decoration.
を踏まえて also has an adnominal form — を踏まえた — used when it directly modifies a noun. For example, 議論を踏まえた結論 means "a conclusion based on the discussion." This form is common in formal writing and academic texts.
Structure & Formation
The basic pattern connects a noun to を踏まえて, after which the main clause describes what action, decision, or result follows from considering that noun.
| Formation | Usage |
|---|---|
| Noun + を踏まえて + Verb/Clause | Action taken based on the noun |
| Noun + を踏まえた + Noun | Modified noun grounded in prior noun |
| Noun + を踏まえた上で + Verb/Clause | Emphasis that action is done after fully considering the noun |
Note that を踏まえて does not attach directly to verbs or adjectives. It only connects to nouns (or noun phrases). The noun before を踏まえて typically represents information, results, experience, or circumstances being taken into consideration.
- 結果を踏まえて — based on the results
- 意見を踏まえて — taking opinions into account
- 経験を踏まえて — based on experience
- 現状を踏まえた判断 — a judgment based on the current situation
Example Sentences
Business and Professional Settings
会議での意見を踏まえて、提案書を修正しました。
Kaigi de no iken wo fumaete, teian-sho wo shuusei shimashita.
Taking into account the opinions expressed in the meeting, I revised the proposal.
アンケートの結果を踏まえて、新しいサービスを開発します。
Ankeeto no kekka wo fumaete, atarashii saabisu wo kaihatsu shimasu.
Based on the survey results, we will develop a new service.
専門家のアドバイスを踏まえて、戦略を見直しました。
Senmonka no adobaisu wo fumaete, senryaku wo minaoshimashita.
Based on the expert's advice, we reviewed our strategy.
お客様の要望を踏まえて、デザインを変更しました。
Okyakusama no youbou wo fumaete, dezain wo henkou shimashita.
We changed the design taking customers' requests into consideration.
Academic and Research Contexts
調査結果を踏まえて、報告書をまとめた。
Chousa kekka wo fumaete, houkokusho wo matometa.
Based on the survey results, I compiled the report.
これまでの研究を踏まえた新しい理論が発表された。
Kore made no kenkyuu wo fumaeta atarashii riron ga happyou sareta.
A new theory based on previous research was announced.
審査員のコメントを踏まえて、作品を改善した。
Shinsain no komento wo fumaete, sakuhin wo kaizen shita.
Based on the judges' comments, I improved my work.
Policy and Social Issues
過去の経験を踏まえて、新しい政策が作られた。
Kako no keiken wo fumaete, atarashii seisaku ga tsukureta.
A new policy was created based on past experience.
現在の経済状況を踏まえて、予算を見直す必要がある。
Genzai no keizai joukyou wo fumaete, yosan wo minaosu hitsuyou ga aru.
We need to review the budget taking the current economic situation into account.
環境への影響を踏まえて、製造方法を変えた。
Kankyou e no eikyou wo fumaete, seizou houhou wo kaeta.
We changed the manufacturing method taking the environmental impact into consideration.
Everyday Formal Use
前回の失敗を踏まえて、今回は慎重に計画を立てた。
Zenkai no shippai wo fumaete, konkai wa shinchou ni keikaku wo tateta.
Based on last time's failure, this time I made careful plans.
議論の内容を踏まえて、最終決定を行った。
Giron no naiyou wo fumaete, saishuukettei wo okonatta.
Based on the discussion content, a final decision was made.
現状を踏まえた上で、最善の方法を選んでください。
Genjou wo fumaeta ue de, saizen no houhou wo erande kudasai.
Please choose the best method after fully taking the current situation into consideration.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using を踏まえて with speculative or imagined content
❌ 将来の夢を踏まえて、勉強している。
✅ 将来の夢を念頭に置いて、勉強している。
を踏まえて requires the basis to be real, factual, or experiential. A dream about the future is aspirational, not a prior result or objective fact. For goals or wishes, use 念頭に置いて (keeping in mind) instead.
Mistake 2: Confusing を踏まえて with に基づいて
❌ 法律を踏まえて、処罰が決まった。
✅ 法律に基づいて、処罰が決まった。
に基づいて means "based strictly on (rules, laws, or data)" and implies direct legal or logical derivation. を踏まえて implies consideration and reflection before taking action, not mechanical application of a rule. When referring to laws, regulations, or fixed criteria, に基づいて is more appropriate.
Mistake 3: Wrong form before nouns — using を踏まえて instead of を踏まえた
❌ 結果を踏まえて提案を発表した。(Intending to say: a proposal based on results)
✅ 結果を踏まえた提案を発表した。
When を踏まえて directly modifies a noun, it must change to its adnominal form: を踏まえた. The て-form cannot be used directly in front of a noun.
Mistake 4: Using を踏まえて with personal feelings or emotions
❌ 悲しい気持ちを踏まえて、手紙を書いた。
✅ その経験を踏まえて、手紙を書いた。
を踏まえて is grounded in facts, results, data, and experience — not subjective feelings. If you want to say you wrote a letter while feeling sad, use expressions like ～ながら or ～という気持ちで instead.
Mistake 5: Using を踏まえて in casual conversation
❌ 昨日のことを踏まえて、今日どうする？(Said to a friend casually)
✅ 昨日のことを考えて、今日どうする？
を踏まえて is formal and sounds unnatural in casual conversation between friends. In everyday speech, simpler expressions like ～を考えて or ～をもとに are more natural.
Cultural Notes
Japanese professional and academic culture places heavy weight on 根拠 (grounds/basis) — the expectation that decisions and statements rest on solid evidence. を踏まえて makes this grounding explicit, which explains why it saturates formal Japanese communication.
When a manager or professor uses を踏まえて, they signal more than a decision — they signal due diligence. The phrase quietly says "I looked at the evidence before acting," which reflects the Japanese cultural value of 慎重さ (deliberateness and caution).
Government white papers, corporate annual reports, academic theses, and news editorials are prime territory for を踏まえて. Its absence where it belongs can make formal Japanese writing feel thin or ungrounded to a native reader.
In speeches and presentations, を踏まえて marks a logical turn: here is the evidence, and here is where it leads. Japanese audiences read it as a sign of careful, evidence-based thinking — the kind of deliberateness that formal contexts demand.
JLPT Tips
On the N2, を踏まえて shows up most in the 文法 (grammar) section, where it sits alongside similar patterns like に基づいて and をもとに. Telling them apart is the actual skill being tested.
Start by identifying what serves as the basis. Laws, rules, or fixed criteria → に基づいて. Creative source material → をもとに. Experience, results, or circumstances weighed before a decision → を踏まえて.
Also remember the adnominal form: を踏まえた. The N2 exam sometimes tests whether you know to switch to this form when the grammar pattern modifies a noun. Confusing を踏まえて (adverbial) with を踏まえた (adnominal) is a common exam error.
In reading passages, を踏まえて signals that the author is drawing a conclusion after presenting background information. When you spot it, trace back to the preceding sentences. The evidence being referenced often unlocks comprehension questions about the author's intent or the passage's logical structure.
Finally, を踏まえて pairs naturally with formal verbs: 検討する (to examine), 見直す (to review), 策定する (to formulate), 判断する (to judge). Learning these collocations sharpens both recognition and production on exam day.