～につれて — As One Thing Changes, So Does Another
Expresses that as one thing gradually changes, another thing changes in proportion to it. Both sides describe a continuous, natural progression rather than a single event. It is used for gradual, unstoppable change and cannot describe a one-time action.
Structure
[Verb dictionary form / Noun] + につれて
Examples
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.
vs にしたがって
につれて sounds slightly more literary and emphasizes natural parallel change; にしたがって can also mean 'in accordance with (rules/instructions)', a meaning につれて never has.
vs とともに
とともに can mean simply 'together with' or 'at the same time as' a one-time event, while につれて requires gradual proportional change in both clauses.
More cause & effect
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