～につれて
as / in proportion to
～につれて expresses a proportional change: as X progresses, Y changes along with it. It attaches to a verb in dictionary form or a noun that expresses change, and maps to English “as” or “in proportion to”.
Both sides must describe gradual change. It is not used for one-time events or for actions someone decides to do once.
Gradual change in step with another change
The clause before につれて names the driving change and the clause after it describes what shifts along with it.
年を取るにつれて、体が弱くなる。
“As you age, your body grows weaker.”
- 年を取る（としをとる）= to grow older
- につれて = as, in proportion to
- 体（からだ）= body
- が = subject marker
- 弱くなる（よわくなる）= grows weaker
夜になるにつれて、気温が下がる。
“As night falls, the temperature drops.”
- 夜（よる）= night
- になるにつれて = as (it) becomes
- 気温（きおん）= temperature
- が = subject marker
- 下がる（さがる）= goes down
How to form it
Verb (dictionary form) + につれて / Noun of change + につれて
- 取る（とる）= to take (here: age) → 年を取るにつれて（としをとるにつれて）= as (one) ages
- 暗くなる（くらくなる）= to get dark → 暗くなるにつれて（くらくなるにつれて）= as it gets darker
- 成長（せいちょう）= growth → 成長につれて（せいちょうにつれて）= as (it) grows
Key idea
Picture two dials linked together: when the ～につれて dial turns, the other dial turns with it. One ongoing change pulls another change along in proportion.
Built on the same stem
Updated .