JLPT N3 Comparison

〜につれて vs 〜にしたがって vs 〜とともに ni tsurete · ni shitagatte · to tomo ni

につれて and にしたがって can describe two changes progressing together; とともに also means “together with” or “at the same time as.” Use につれて with a developing change and its accompanying change. にしたがって has a separate “following” or “in accordance with” sense, as in 規則にしたがって. Choose とともに for accompaniment or simultaneous events as well as change.

as ~·together with

Structure

How do you form these three?

Verb［辞書形］／Noun＋につれて

年を取る → 年を取るにつれて. 増加 → 増加につれて. Attaches directly — no の needed, even after a noun.

Verb［辞書形］／Noun＋にしたがって

変わる → 変わるにしたがって. 規則 → 規則にしたがって. Same direct attachment as につれて — and the same word doubles as "in accordance with" for rules and instructions.

Verb［辞書形］／Noun＋とともに

起きる → 起きるとともに. 家族 → 家族とともに. Also attaches directly; unlike the other two, とともに doesn't require gradual change at all.

Meaning

What's the difference between these three?

All three translate loosely as "as X, Y" — two things changing together. But they don't cover the same ground. につれて and にしたがって are near-synonyms for gradual, parallel change. とともに is broader: it can mean gradual change too, but it also covers plain accompaniment and simultaneity — things that happen at the same moment, not gradually at all.

につれて describes a change accompanying another change. A command or invitation does not normally fit this construction: describe the developing result, rather than simply announcing a decision.

にしたがって means almost the same thing here — 変わるにつれて and 変わるにしたがって are close to interchangeable, though にしたがって leans slightly more formal and written. But it also carries its source verb's other sense: 従う, "to follow, to obey." That's why 規則にしたがって means "in accordance with the rules," not "as the rules change" — a genuinely different reading that only shows up with にしたがって.

とともに is the odd one out. 家族とともに just means "together with family," no comparison at all. 地震とともに音が聞こえた doesn't describe two things gradually changing — it describes two things happening at the same instant. It's only when とともに is paired with a genuinely gradual verb that it lines up with the other two.

Sentences

6 sentences, word by word

noun · population and housing, moving together

plain

。

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人口

じんこう［0］

population

noun · 人 person + 口 count

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の

's — links the two nouns

particle · 人口の増加, "the population's increase"

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増加

ぞうか［0］

increase

noun · につれて attaches straight onto it, no connector

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につれて

as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

grammar · population and housing shortage grow together

〜につれてN3as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

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住宅不足

じゅうたくぶそく

housing shortage

noun · 住宅 housing + 不足 shortage

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が

marks the subject

particle

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深刻になった

しんこくになった

became serious

な-adjective 深刻 + になる, past tense

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As the population grew, the housing shortage got serious.

noun · a different job — "in accordance with"

polite

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規則

きそく［1］

rule, regulation

noun

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にしたがって

in accordance with; following

grammar · from 従う "to follow, obey" — a different reading from the gradual-change one

〜にしたがってN3in accordance with; following a rule

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行動して

こうどうして

act, behave

する verb · て-form, sets up ください

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ください

please

polite request marker after a て-form verb

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Please act in accordance with the rules.

noun · plain accompaniment

plain

。

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彼

かれ［1］

pronoun

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は

as for — the topic

particle · written は, read わ

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家族

かぞく［1］

family

noun

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とともに

together with

grammar · plain accompaniment, no gradual change implied

〜とともにN3together with; at the same moment as

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東京

とうきょう

Tokyo

proper noun

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に

to — the destination

particle

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引っ越した

ひっこした

moved (residence)

godan 引っ越す, past tense

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He moved to Tokyo together with his family.

verb · a single shared instant

plain

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地震

じしん［0］

earthquake

noun

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が

marks the subject

particle

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起きる

おきる［2］

occurs, happens

ichidan verb · dictionary form

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とともに

at the same moment as

grammar · a single instant, not a gradual change — この文はにつれてでは使えない

〜とともにN3together with; at the same moment as

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大きな

おおきな

big

attributive form of 大きい, used only before a noun

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音

おと［2］

sound

noun

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が

marks the subject

particle · a second が, for 音

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聞こえた

きこえた

could be heard

ichidan 聞こえる, past — a sound reaching the ears on its own

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The moment the earthquake struck, a loud sound was heard.

verb · gradual change, につれて

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時代

じだい［0］

era, the times

noun

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が

marks the subject

particle

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変わる

かわる［0］

changes

godan verb · dictionary form, intransitive

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につれて

as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

grammar · compare to sentence six, which swaps in にしたがって

〜につれてN3as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

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人々

ひとびと［2］

people

noun · plural, 人 repeated with 々

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の

's — links 人々 and 考え方

particle

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考え方

かんがえかた［5］

way of thinking

noun · 考える think + 方 way of ~ing

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も

also, too

particle · people's thinking changed too, alongside the times

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変わってきた

かわってきた

has been changing

変わる + てくる, past — a change building up over time

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As the times have changed, people's way of thinking has changed too.

verb · gradual change, にしたがって — a matching pair

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時代

じだい［0］

era, the times

noun · same word as sentence five

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が

marks the subject

particle

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変わる

かわる［0］

changes

godan verb · dictionary form, intransitive

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にしたがって

as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

grammar · same gradual-change reading as につれて, slightly more formal

〜にしたがってN3as ~ (gradually, in parallel)

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人々

ひとびと［2］

people

noun · plural, 人 repeated with 々

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の

's — links 人々 and 考え方

particle

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考え方

かんがえかた［5］

way of thinking

noun · 考える think + 方 way of ~ing

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も

also, too

particle · people's thinking changed too, alongside the times

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変わってきた

かわってきた

has been changing

変わる + てくる, past — a change building up over time

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As the times have changed, people's way of thinking has changed too.

Watch out

Where does this go wrong?

Describe a change after につれて

The clause after につれて should describe an accompanying change. 年を取るにつれて、旅行に行こう is not a natural invitation; use a different construction for a plan.

にしたがって moonlights as "in accordance with"

With a gradual-change verb it means "as" — 変わるにしたがって. With a noun like 規則 or 指示, it means "following, in line with" — a genuinely different, non-gradual reading from the same root verb 従う.

None of the three need a connector after a noun

増加につれて, 規則にしたがって, 家族とともに — all attach directly, no の. That's different from わりに, which needs の after a noun — 年のわりに, though 高いわりに attaches straight to an adjective.

Also asked

Questions people ask about these three

Can につれて and にしたがって be swapped?

Almost always, in the gradual-change sense — 変わるにつれて and 変わるにしたがって mean nearly the same thing. にしたがって sounds a touch more formal and written.

Why can't につれて end with "let's go" or a command?

This construction describes corresponding changes; a command or invitation does not normally describe such a change.

Does にしたがって always mean "in accordance with"?

No. With a developing change, にしたがって means “as.” With rules or instructions, it can mean “following” or “in accordance with.”

Is とともに the same as 一緒に?

Related, not identical. 一緒に is casual, everyday "together." とともに is more formal and written, and also covers "at the same moment as," not just company.

Can とともに be used for a one-time event?

Yes — that's what sets it apart from につれて and にしたがって, which both need gradual change. 地震とともに音が聞こえた describes a single instant.

Do any of these need a connector like の after a noun?

No — all three attach directly to a noun: 増加につれて, 規則にしたがって, 家族とともに. That's different from わりに, which needs の after a noun: 年のわりに.

References

Sources and usage notes

Japan Foundation: につれて・につれ — Requires change expressions and explains their linked progression.

Japan Foundation: とともに — Covers accompaniment, simultaneity, coexisting states, and linked changes.

毎日のんびり日本語教師: にしたがって — Distinguishes following instructions from corresponding changes.

Nearby

Points that live next door

わけがない vs わけではない vs はずがないwake ga nai · hazu ga nai

there's no way vs that's not to say

とおり(に) vs ままtoori ni · mama

copying a manner vs freezing a state

わりに vs にしてはwari ni · ni shite wa

weighing a degree vs weighing a label

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