N2#grammar#n2#change#causality

Complex Sentences Lesson 5

Master the usage of ～につれて and ～に伴って to express simultaneous changes or proportional shifts in situations.

Context

Observing Change

In life, many things happen in tandem. As the seasons change, the temperature drops. As technology advances, our lifestyle habits shift. In Japanese, when you want to describe how one change naturally triggers or accompanies another, you need specific structures.

Imagine you are watching a city grow over several years. You might say, 'As the city develops, the traffic increases.' These structures allow you to link these two evolving states smoothly.

Explanation

The Grammar of Change

Both ～につれて and ～に伴って describe a situation where one thing changes as another changes. They are formal expressions used to describe a progression.

Verb-dictionary formNounにつれてに伴って

～につれて (ni tsurete) implies that as A changes, B changes along with it. It emphasizes the 'following' or 'accompanying' nature of the change. ～に伴って (ni tomonatte) is slightly more formal and often implies a stronger causal link or a direct consequence of the first event.

Watch out

Both patterns require the preceding verb or noun to indicate a change (e.g., 増える, 変化する, 進む). You cannot use them with static states.

Examples

Examples in Action

See how these patterns function in natural sentences.

時代(じだい)が進む(すすむ)につれて、生活様式(せいかつようしき)も変化した(へんかした)。

As the times progressed, lifestyles also changed.

時代じだいera/times進むすすむto progress生活様式せいかつようしきlifestyle変化したへんかしたchanged

人口(じんこう)の増加(ぞうか)に伴って、ゴミ(ごみ)の問題が深刻化(しんこくか)している。

Along with the increase in population, the waste problem is becoming serious.

人口じんこうpopulation増加ぞうかincreaseゴミごみtrash深刻化しんこくかbecoming serious

試験が近づく【につれて】、緊張が高まってきた。

Hint: Use the grammar point for 'as something happens'.

As the exam approaches, the tension has increased.

Usage

Nuance and Register

These patterns are generally used in written or formal spoken contexts (like news reports or academic writing).

Comparison

～につれて

Focuses on the progression of time or change.

年を取るにつれて

～に伴って

Focuses on the direct result or accompanying event.

昇進に伴って

Which of these is more commonly used in a formal news report to describe a direct consequence?

～につれて
✓ ～に伴って

～に伴って is often preferred in formal, objective reports to indicate a direct correlation or consequence.

Deep dive

Advanced Usage

Expand your understanding with these edge cases.

Can I use these with any verb?

No. The verb must represent a 'change' or a 'process.' You cannot use verbs like 'to eat' (食べる) or 'to sleep' (寝る) because they are not inherently progressive states. You must use verbs like 'to increase' (増える), 'to decrease' (減る), 'to change' (変わる), or 'to progress' (進む).

Summary

Lesson Recap

You have learned how to use ～につれて and ～に伴って to connect two changing situations. Remember that these are formal, written-style expressions used to describe proportional changes.

時代

じだいnoun

era/times

増加

ぞうかnoun

increase

深刻化

しんこくかnoun

becoming serious

生活様式

せいかつようしきnoun

lifestyle