Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
につれて and に従って both link two changes happening together, but につれて focuses on a natural parallel shift where one change tracks another, like 成長するにつれて親から離れていく. に従って tends to emphasize a proportional or rule-like correspondence, often with measurable quantities, as in 収入が増えるに従って支出も増える. Swapping them is not always wrong, but に従って sounds heavier and more formal, so it feels unnatural for simple seasonal or emotional shifts where につれて is the default.
- につれて/つれ Use につれて when two changes naturally unfold side by side, especially emotional or seasonal shifts.
- に従って/従い Use に従って when one change follows another in a proportional, rule-like, or measurable way.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| につれて/つれ nitsurete tsure | As/Along with | N3 |
| に従って/従い ni tte i | In accordance with/As | N3 |
につれて/つれ nitsurete tsure
As/Along with
As; in proportion to; with | A phrase used to indicate that a change occurs in accordance with another simultaneous change.
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子供は成長するにつれて、親から離れていく。
As children grow up, they become independent of their parents.
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季節の変化につれて、 風景も変わる。
The scenery also changes with season changes.
に従って/従い ni tte i
In accordance with/As
As, accordingly; in proportion to; in accordance with; following | Something spontaneously and gradually occurs in accordance with some change.
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収入 が増えるに従って、 支出も増える。
As our income increases, our expenditure, too, increases.
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太陽が沈んで行くに従って、温度がどんどん下がった。
As the sun went down, the temperature went down rapidly.
につれて/つれ and に従って/従い are both JLPT N3 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.