“〜ni tsurete”: As 〜 (accompanying change) [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「人口が増えるにつれて交通が混雑する」 — as one changes, the other tracks it.

「人口が増えるにつれて、交通が混雑する」 — 「につれて」, changing proportionally as ~

「人口が増えるにつれて、都市の交通が混雑するようになった」 (as the population grew, city traffic became congested) — 「(verb dictionary form／noun) ＋ につれて」 means “as the first clause progresses, the second changes (proportionally, naturally) along with it.” It's often used to describe the tandem change of social, economic, or natural phenomena (population ↑ → traffic ↑, economic development → environmental problems). This guide covers 「につれて」's proportional-change feel and attachment, and separates it from 「にしたがって／ば〜ほど」 (the につれ contraction and basic use: see 〈につれて〉).

Core: the first changes, the second changes proportionally along with it

The core of 「につれて」 is “as the first clause gradually changes, the second changes (proportionally, naturally) along with it” — the more the first advances, the more the second changes, in positive correlation:

• Social/economic phenomena: 経済が発展するにつれて、環境問題が深刻になった (as the economy developed, environmental problems worsened).
• Natural/physical phenomena: 暗くなるにつれて、道が見えにくくなった (as it got dark, the road grew harder to see).

Feel: “the first changes by X, so the second changes by Y (proportional, same direction)” — stressing tandem, positively-correlated natural change.

How to Connect

See it in context

• 人口が増えるにつれて、都市の交通が混雑するようになった。(As the population grew, city traffic became congested.) — social
• 経済が発展するにつれて、環境問題が深刻になった。(As the economy developed, environmental problems worsened.) — economic
• 暗くなるにつれて、道が見えにくくなった。(As it got dark, the road grew harder to see.) — natural
• 技術が進歩するにつれて、製品の品質も向上した。(As technology advanced, product quality also improved.) — technology
• 標高が上がるにつれて、空気が薄くなる。(As altitude rises, the air thins.) — physical

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① Both before and after must be ‘gradual, proportional' change — no one-off/command/volition. につれて's before and after are both gradual, natural tandem changes (more of one, more of the other); ✗ a one-off action (ドアを開けるにつれて), ✗ a following command/volition (成長するにつれて、頑張れ). The second clause should be a natural change like 「〜なる／〜てくる／〜ていく」 (交通が混雑するようになる, 品質が向上する).

② 「につれて」 (proportional natural change) vs 「ば〜ほど」 (conditional degree amplification). につれて = as A (one thing) progresses, B naturally changes (人口が増えるにつれて交通が混雑 = as population grows, traffic congests — describing a “changing-as” phenomenon); ば〜ほど = the more … the more … (the same action repeated / degree raised, the more the result) (練習すればするほど上手になる = the more you practice, the better you get — stressing “the more … the more …” degree amplification). につれて is “changing as …,” ば〜ほど is “the more … the more …” — don't mix them.

③ Attach the verb dictionary form, not the た-form. 進むにつれて (✗ 進んだにつれて). 「につれて」 takes the dictionary form (marking ongoing change), not the た-form. Writing often contracts to 「につれ」 (増えるにつれ).

🔄 Nuance & comparison: につれて／にしたがって／とともに／ば〜ほど

💡 The one thing to remember

「につれて」 means “as the first clause (gradually) changes, the second changes proportionally, naturally along with it” — often used to describe the tandem of social, economic, natural phenomena (人口が増えるにつれて交通が混雑 = population up, traffic congested; 経済発展につれて環境問題が深刻 = economic development, environmental woes). It stresses the positive correlation of “the first changes by so much, the second changes by so much.” Three points: ① before and after are both gradual, natural change (no one-off/command/volition); ② separate it from 「ば〜ほど (the more … the more …)」 — につれて is “B as A (one thing drives another),” ば〜ほど is “the more … the more … (same-action amplification)”; ③ attach the dictionary form (増えるにつれて, ✗ 増えた). 「につれ」 is the contracted form. To describe a phenomenon's “changing-in-tandem-as …,” につれて is spot-on. (Basic use and the につれ contraction: see 〈につれて〉.)

❓ Questions you might have

Q: How do I tell 「につれて」 from 「ば〜ほど」? (both feel like ‘the more … / as …')

By “B changes as A changes (tandem)” vs “the more … the more … (amplification of the same action/degree).” 「につれて」 = as A (one thing) progresses, B (another thing) naturally changes (describing an ‘A changes → B changes' tandem phenomenon, A and B are two different things): 都市化が進むにつれて、自然が減っていった (as urbanization advanced, nature gradually decreased — urbanization and nature's decline are two linked things), 年を取るにつれて、涙もろくなった (as I aged, I became more easily moved to tears). It's “as the process A goes, B changes too.” 「ば〜ほど」 = the more … the more … (the same action/quality, the higher the degree, the more the result; before and after are often the same action): 勉強すればするほど、分からなくなる (the more I study, the less I understand — the same action “study” amplified), 高ければ高いほどいい (the more expensive the better — the same quality “high” amplified), 考えれば考えるほど、迷う (the more I think, the more I waver). It's the amplification “do the same thing more/to a higher degree, and the more ….” So: “B changes as A (a process) (two things in tandem)” → につれて; “the more … the more … (same-action/quality amplification)” → ば〜ほど. E.g., 「練習するにつれて上達する」 = improve as you practice (the process — tandem); 「練習すればするほど上達する」 = the more you practice, the more you improve (stressing “the more … the more …” amplification). Close in meaning, but につれて stresses “a changing-as phenomenon,” ば〜ほど stresses “the-more-the-more degree.”

Q: Are 「につれて」 and 「につれ」 the same? What about 「にしたがって」?

「につれて」 and 「につれ」 are exactly the same, only that 「につれ」 is the more written, formal contracted form (dropping the 「て」): 人口が増えるにつれて = 人口が増えるにつれ (same meaning and use, につれ more written). Papers and reporting often use 「につれ」, everyday conversation mostly uses 「につれて」. As for 「にしたがって」: for “as … changes,” it's close to 「につれて」 (often interchangeable): 技術が進むにつれて／技術が進むにしたがって (as technology advances — both fine). Subtle difference: につれて focuses more on ‘gradual natural tandem change'; にしたがって, besides ‘as … changes,' also has an ‘in accordance with, following' use (指示にしたがって = per instructions — a use につれて lacks). So for a plain “change as …” the two are interchangeable, but “follow instructions/rules” can only use にしたがって. (にしたがって's detailed use and ‘comply' sense: see 〈にしたがって〉.) Mnemonic: につれて = につれ (contraction); ‘change as …' ≒ にしたがって, but ‘comply' only にしたがって.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 人口が増えるにつれて、都市の交通が_____。

(A) 混雑する　(B) 減少する　(C) 静かになる　(D) 便利になる

Q2. 経済が発展するにつれて、環境問題が_____。

(A) 改善する　(B) 悪化する　(C) 減少する　(D) 消える

Q3. 暗くなるにつれて、道が_____。

(A) 明るくなる　(B) 暗くなる　(C) 広くなる　(D) 狭くなる

Q4. 年を取るにつれて、体力が_____。

(A) 増える　(B) 減る　(C) 改善する　(D) 強くなる

Q5. 技術が進歩するにつれて、製品の品質が_____。

(A) 悪化する　(B) 向上する　(C) 低下する　(D) 変わらない

Answer Key

1. (A) 混雑する ── as the population grows, traffic gets congested (accompanying change).

2. (B) 悪化する ── as the economy develops, environmental problems worsen.

3. (B) 暗くなる ── as it gets dark, the road gets dark (linked change).

4. (B) 減る ── as one ages, stamina declines.

5. (B) 向上する ── as technology advances, product quality improves. (につれて links two co-changing trends.)