～につれて— As One Thing Changes, So Does Another

• 年を取るにつれて、体力が落ちてきた。

  Toshi o toru ni tsurete, tairyoku ga ochite kita.

  As I get older, my physical strength has been declining.

  The verb 取る (dictionary form) + につれて links the gradual change of aging to declining strength.

• 都市化が進むにつれて、自然が減っている。

  Toshika ga susumu ni tsurete, shizen ga hette iru.

  As urbanization advances, nature is decreasing.

  につれて connects two parallel gradual changes: advancing urbanization and shrinking nature.

• 時間の経過につれて、痛みは和らいだ。

  Jikan no keika ni tsurete, itami wa yawaraida.

  As time passed, the pain eased.

  Noun 経過 (passage) + につれて shows the pain easing in proportion to time.

• ・Register: neutral, common in both writing and speech.
• ・Both clauses must describe gradual, ongoing change — not a single sudden event.
• ・Common mistake: don't use it to express a personal will or request; the second clause is a natural consequence, not a plan.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～につれて is tested against.

• ～あまり(に) — So Much That It Overwhelms
• ～おかげで — Thanks To
• ～せいで — Because Of (And I Blame It)
• ～せいか — Perhaps Because Of
• ～からといって — Just Because
• ～ことから — Judging From The Fact
• 次第だ／次第で — It All Depends
• だけあって — Living Up to It