Master the grammar patterns ～につれて and ～に伴って, used to express simultaneous change or correlation between two events.
Context
Observing Change
In daily life, we often observe how one event naturally leads to another or how two things change simultaneously. For example, as you spend more time in a foreign country, your language skills might improve, or as the season changes, the weather might get colder.
In Japanese, when we want to describe this 'A happens as B happens' relationship, we use specific grammatical structures. These patterns are essential for describing trends, societal shifts, or personal development in a formal or objective way.
Explanation
The Grammar Patterns
Both ～につれて and ～に伴って indicate that as one thing changes, another changes along with it. They are often used in written or formal spoken Japanese.
Verb (Dictionary form)/Noun+につれて / に伴って
～につれて (ni tsurete) implies a progressive change where one thing moves forward in time or degree alongside another. It is often used with verbs that imply change, such as 増える (to increase) or 進む (to progress).
～に伴って (ni tomonatte) is more formal and often suggests that a change in one area is a direct consequence or accompaniment of a change in another, such as a policy change leading to new procedures.
Watch out
Note that these patterns cannot be used for volitional actions. You cannot say 'I will study so that I get better' using these patterns; they are strictly for describing natural, non-volitional changes.
Examples
Examples in Context
See how these patterns appear in natural sentences.
試験が近づくにつれて、緊張が高まってきた。
As the exam approaches, my nervousness has increased.
Hint: Use the grammar point learned in this lesson.
As the times change, people's values also change.
Usage
Nuance and Register
While similar, there are subtle differences in how these are used.
Comparison
～につれて
Focuses on the passage of time or parallel progression.
年をとるにつれて体力が落ちる。
～に伴って
Focuses on a direct correlation or 'accompanying' change.
昇進に伴って責任が増える。
Which of these is generally considered more formal and suitable for a business report?
～につれて
✓ ～に伴って
～に伴って is more formal and frequently used in written reports to describe direct correlations between events.
Deep dive
Advanced Usage
A few edge cases to keep in mind.
Both patterns are strictly for 'change'. You cannot use them with static states. For example, you cannot say 'As it is a holiday, I am happy' (休みであるにつれて) because 'being a holiday' is a state, not a process of change.
Summary
Summary
Recap of the lesson.
We have learned how to use ～につれて and ～に伴って to describe simultaneous changes. Remember that these are used for non-volitional, progressive events and are common in formal writing.