要看 / 得看【yào kàn / děi kàn】

要看 and 得děi看 mean "it depends on". The thing it depends on comes straight after 看, and the sentence usually starts with 这 or 那, pointing back at what was just asked.

The two are close. 得看 sounds a little firmer: you can't answer until you know.

A question after 看

What follows 看 is often a question: an A-not-A form, or a clause with 什么, 怎么样, 多少 or 谁. It stays in question form, but the sentence as a whole is a statement and ends in 。.

The topic can come first, as here, instead of 这 or 那.

看情况

看情况 is the short answer: "it depends", "we'll see". It can stand alone or follow 要 / 得.

Not 依靠

依靠 means relying on a person or on support. It does not mean "it depends on" a condition.

• × 这依靠天气 → 这要看天气
• × 那是看你 → 那要看你