〜につれて

The Japanese grammar point 〜につれて (ni tsurete) is a fundamental expression used to describe a relationship between two changing variables. At its core, it signifies that as one situation changes or progresses, another situation changes simultaneously in a proportional or parallel manner. This is not just a simple 'A then B' sequence; it implies a continuous, gradual process where the movement of the first element directly influences the second element. In English, we often translate this as 'as,' 'in proportion to,' or 'along with.' It is most commonly used to describe natural developments, societal shifts, or changes that happen over time without a specific person forcing the change to happen. It captures the essence of things 'unfolding' together.

Core Concept

The term originates from the verb tsureru (連れる), which means 'to take someone along' or 'to accompany.' Grammatically, this evolved into a functional phrase where the preceding event 'takes along' the following event as it moves forward.

One of the most important aspects of 〜につれて is that it requires both the 'cause' and the 'effect' to be things that can change in degree. You cannot use it for one-off actions. For instance, you wouldn't say 'As I opened the door, I saw him' using this grammar, because opening a door is a momentary action. Instead, you use it for things like 'As the temperature rises,' 'As the population ages,' or 'As technology advances.' These are all processes that happen incrementally. It is particularly common in writing, news reports, and formal speeches, though it is certainly heard in daily conversation when discussing life changes or growing older.

Grammatical Connection

It attaches to the dictionary form of a verb (expressing change) or a noun that inherently implies a process of change (like 'development' or 'growth').

In a cultural context, this grammar point reflects the Japanese linguistic tendency to view events as part of a flow or a natural progression. Rather than focusing on a single point of causality, 〜につれて emphasizes the synchronous nature of existence. It is often used to describe the changing of the seasons, such as how the mountains change color as autumn deepens. This sense of 'accompanying' the flow of nature is a deeply rooted concept in Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, where human life is seen as moving in rhythm with the environment. When you use 〜につれて, you are acknowledging this interconnectedness of phenomena.

Finally, it is worth noting that the second part of the sentence (the result) must be a natural consequence or a spontaneous change. It is generally not used for sentences where the speaker expresses a personal will, command, or request. You wouldn't say 'As it gets colder, please wear a coat' using 〜につれて. Instead, you would say 'As it gets colder, the number of people wearing coats increases.' This distinction is crucial for achieving natural Japanese fluency. It describes what is happening, not what someone should do.

Mastering the usage of 〜につれて requires understanding both its structural requirements and its semantic constraints. Structurally, the grammar is quite straightforward: you take a Verb in its dictionary form or a Noun that represents a change, and simply add 〜につれて. However, the choice of words is specific. The verb or noun must represent a continuous or gradual change. Common verbs include naru (to become), susumu (to progress), agaru (to rise), and fueru (to increase). Common nouns include fukkyu (spread), hatten (development), and koura (aging).

The Formula

[Verb Dictionary Form] + につれて
[Noun of Change] + につれて

Let's look at the verb pattern first. When using a verb, it must be in the plain present form (dictionary form), even if the entire sentence is in the past tense. For example, 'As I grew up' becomes seichou suru ni tsurete. The tense of the entire situation is determined by the final verb of the sentence. If you say seichou suru ni tsurete, kangaekata ga kawatta, the 'kawatta' at the end tells us the whole process happened in the past. This is a common point of confusion for learners who try to put the first verb in the past tense, which is grammatically incorrect in Japanese for this specific structure.

When using a noun, the noun must be one that implies a direction or a process. Nouns like 'book' or 'apple' cannot be used because they don't imply a change. However, 'globalization' (guroubaruka) or 'industrialization' (kougyouka) work perfectly. These nouns describe a state that is shifting over time. Note that unlike some other grammar points, you do not need the particle 'no' between the noun and ni tsurete in many cases, although no shinten ni tsurete (with the progress of...) is a common formal variation. Usually, the noun simply sits directly before ni tsurete.

A subtle but important rule is that 〜につれて describes a 'one-way' change. Usually, as A increases, B also increases (or decreases). It describes a correlation. Because of this, the result clause (the second part of the sentence) often contains verbs that describe change, such as ~te kuru (to come to be), ~te iku (to go on to be), or naru. This creates a sense of dynamic movement throughout the entire sentence. For instance, 'As the sun sets, it gets colder' implies a continuous cooling process that tracks with the sun's position.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Do not use this for sudden, discrete events. 'As I turned the corner, I saw a cat' is incorrect. Use ~ta totan or ~tara for that.

In summary, when you want to use 〜につれて, check for three things: 1. Is there a gradual change happening in the first part? 2. Is there a corresponding change happening in the second part? 3. Is the relationship natural and objective (rather than a personal command)? If the answer to all three is yes, then 〜につれて is your best choice for a professional and natural-sounding Japanese sentence.

While 〜につれて can be found in daily speech, it truly shines in more formal or descriptive contexts. If you turn on the NHK news or read a Japanese newspaper like the Asahi Shimbun, you will encounter this grammar point frequently. This is because news reporting often involves explaining trends, economic shifts, and societal changes. For example, a report on the Japanese yen might say, 'As the American interest rates rise, the yen continues to weaken.' This kind of proportional relationship is the bread and butter of analytical reporting.

News & Media

Used to describe the relationship between market fluctuations, climate change data, and demographic trends.

In academic and scientific writing, 〜につれて is indispensable. Researchers use it to describe experimental results where one variable's increase leads to a change in another. In a biology paper, one might read about how a plant's growth rate changes as the amount of sunlight increases. In a sociology paper, it might be used to discuss how urbanization leads to changes in family structures. It provides a clear, objective way to state a correlation without necessarily claiming a direct, singular cause-and-effect relationship, which is often more accurate in complex systems.

You will also hear this grammar in documentaries and nature programs. The narrator might describe the changing landscape: 'As we climb higher up the mountain, the types of trees we see begin to change.' Or, 'As the dry season approaches, the animals migrate toward the water holes.' Here, 〜につれて adds a sense of poetic inevitability and natural flow to the narration. It makes the description feel more dynamic than if the narrator simply used 'and' or 'when.'

Business Context

In meetings, it is used to discuss project progress: 'As the project moves forward, we need to increase our communication with the client.'

Finally, in literature and song lyrics, 〜につれて is used to evoke emotion through the passage of time. A character might reflect on how their feelings for someone changed as they spent more time together, or how their perspective on life shifted as they grew older. In these cases, it often carries a slightly nostalgic or reflective tone. It suggests that change is an inseparable part of life, and that everything we experience is tied to the progression of time and circumstances. Whether it's the coldness of winter setting in or the maturity of a person's heart, 〜につれて captures the 'becoming' of things.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make with 〜につれて is using it for events that are not gradual or continuous. Remember that this grammar point requires a process. If you say 'As I turned on the light, I saw the mess,' using 〜につれて is incorrect because turning on a light is an instantaneous action. There is no 'proportionality' to the act of flipping a switch. For sudden actions, you should use ~ta totan (the moment that) or ~to.

Mistake 1: Instantaneous Actions

Incorrect: 窓を開けるにつれて、鳥が飛んでいった。
Correct: 窓を開けると、鳥が飛んでいった。(When I opened the window, the bird flew away.)

Another common error is including personal intention, requests, or commands in the second half of the sentence. 〜につれて is used for objective, natural changes. If you want to say 'As it gets busier, please help me,' you cannot use 〜につれて because 'please help me' is a request. In such cases, ~tara or ~toki ni wa would be more appropriate. The second part of a 〜につれて sentence should describe a change that is happening automatically or naturally as a result of the first change.

Learners also often struggle with the difference between 〜につれて and 〜にしたがって (ni shitagatte). While they are often interchangeable, ni shitagatte can also mean 'following a rule or order.' For example, 'following the teacher's instructions' would use shitagatte, never tsurete. Furthermore, ni shitagatte sounds slightly more formal and is often used in technical or logical explanations, whereas ni tsurete feels more natural for physical or emotional changes that occur over time.

A grammatical mistake involves the tense of the first verb. As mentioned in the usage section, the verb preceding 〜につれて must be in the dictionary form. Even if you are talking about something that happened ten years ago, you do not put that first verb in the past tense. The 'past-ness' is only marked at the very end of the sentence. Using a past tense verb before 〜につれて is a major grammatical error that makes the sentence incomprehensible to native speakers.

Mistake 2: Tense Errors

Incorrect: 練習したにつれて、上手になった。
Correct: 練習するにつれて、上手になった。(As I practiced, I became better.)

Finally, ensure that the change in the second part is actually happening *because* of or *along with* the first part. If there is no logical correlation, the sentence will sound strange. For example, 'As I ate bread, the weather got better' makes no sense with 〜につれて because eating bread and the weather are not proportionally related. The grammar implies a systematic link between the two variables. Always ask yourself: 'Does the amount/degree of A directly affect the amount/degree of B?' If not, choose a different conjunction.

Japanese has several grammar points that express 'as' or 'along with,' and choosing the right one can be tricky. The most common alternatives to 〜につれて are 〜にしたがって (ni shitagatte), 〜とともに (to tomo ni), and 〜に伴って (ni tomonatte). While they overlap significantly, each has its own 'flavor' and specific use cases that distinguish them from one another.

〜にしたがって (ni shitagatte)

Very similar to ni tsurete, but more formal. It can also mean 'to obey' or 'to follow' (e.g., following instructions). It suggests a more rigid or logical progression than the natural 'accompanying' feel of ni tsurete.

〜とともに (to tomo ni) is often used when two things happen at the same time, but they don't necessarily have to be gradual changes. It can also simply mean 'together with' a person or object. When used for change, it implies that A and B occur simultaneously. It is quite formal and is often found in written Japanese. Unlike ni tsurete, which focuses on the proportional progression, to tomo ni focuses on the simultaneity of the two events.

〜に伴って (ni tomonatte) is the most formal of the bunch. It is frequently used in business and academic contexts to describe a change that occurs as a direct consequence of another change. The word tomonau means 'to accompany' or 'to entail.' Use this when you want to sound very professional, such as when discussing how a change in company policy will lead to changes in employee benefits. It often carries a nuance of 'A causes B' more strongly than the other expressions.

Another related expression is 〜につれ (ni tsure), which is simply a more literary or abbreviated version of 〜につれて. You might see this in poetry or high-level literature. It functions exactly the same way but adds a touch of elegance or brevity to the sentence. Finally, for very simple 'as' relationships in casual speech, people might just use ~te or ~to, but they lose the specific nuance of 'proportional progression' that 〜につれて provides.

Summary Table

• 〜につれて: Natural, gradual, parallel change.
• 〜にしたがって: Formal, logical, can mean 'obeying'.
• 〜とともに: Simultaneous events, formal.
• 〜に伴って: Formal, consequence-oriented.

Choosing between these depends on your audience and the specific relationship you want to highlight. For most B1 and B2 level learners, 〜につれて is the most versatile and useful one to master first, as it covers a wide range of common scenarios from weather to personal development.