Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Along with,” “as,” “due to,” “in conjunction with.” It indicates that something changes or happens as a direct consequence or accompaniment of another change or event.
🎯 Primary Function
To express that one event, state, or change occurs simultaneously with, or as a direct result of, another event or change. It often implies a cause-and-effect relationship or a parallel progression.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + に伴って / Verb (dictionary form) + に伴って / Verb (た-form) + に伴って (less common)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Frequently used in formal contexts such as news reports, academic papers, official documents, and formal speeches.
Informal Situations
Rarely used in casual conversation among friends or family, as its tone is too formal.
Written Language
Very common in written Japanese, particularly in expository and analytical texts.
Spoken Language
Used in formal spoken presentations, lectures, and broadcasts, but not in everyday casual speech.
💡 Common Applications
Describing societal or environmental changes
Often used to explain how one large-scale change (e.g., economic growth, climate change) brings about other changes or phenomena.
Example: 経済成長に伴って、環境問題が悪化している。(Keizai seichou ni tomonatte, kankyou mondai ga akka shiteiru.) – As a result of economic growth, environmental problems are worsening.
Explaining technological advancements
Used to show the development or emergence of new issues/benefits that come with advancements in technology.
Example: インターネットの普及に伴って、情報へのアクセスが容易になった。(Intānetto no fukyuu ni tomonatte, jouhou e no akusesu ga youi ni natta.) – With the spread of the internet, access to information has become easier.
Personal or organizational development
Can be used to describe changes in individuals or organizations as they grow or undergo processes.
Example: 会社の規模が拡大するに伴って、責任も増える。(Kaisha no kibo ga kakudai suru ni tomonatte, sekinin mo fueru.) – As the company’s scale expands, responsibilities also increase.
Frequency
Moderately frequent in formal and written Japanese. Less common in daily conversation.
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (JLPT N2)
Example Sentences
人口の増加に伴って、食料問題が深刻化している。
Along with the increase in population, food problems are becoming more serious.
技術の発展に伴い、私たちの生活はより便利になった。
As technology developed, our lives became more convenient. (Note: に伴い is a variant used in a similar way)
彼は経験を積むに伴って、自信を深めていった。
As he gained experience, he deepened his confidence.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Emphasis on Cause and Effect / Parallel Progression
「に伴って」 strongly suggests that the latter event or change is a direct consequence or naturally accompanies the former. It’s not just two things happening at the same time, but one influencing the other.
Example: 都市化に伴い、自然環境が失われた。(Toshika ni tomonai, shizen kankyou ga ushinawareta.) – As a result of urbanization, the natural environment was lost.
Formal Tone
This expression carries a formal and somewhat stiff nuance, making it suitable for objective descriptions and analyses.
Example: 株価の変動に伴って、投資家の心理も変化する。(Kabuka no hendou ni tomonatte, toushika no shinri mo henka suru.) – Along with fluctuations in stock prices, investors’ psychology also changes.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it in informal conversations.
✅ Use more casual expressions like 「〜につれて」 or simply linking clauses with 「〜と」「〜したら」 for informal contexts.
The formal nature of 「に伴って」 makes it sound unnatural in everyday speech.
❌ Confusing it with simple simultaneity.
✅ Remember that 「に伴って」 implies a cause/effect or a strong accompanying relationship, not just two unrelated events happening at the same time.
If two events simply happen concurrently without one influencing the other, other expressions might be more appropriate.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Highly polite and formal. Used in contexts demanding precision and objectivity.
Social Situations: Appropriate for news reports, academic discussions, business presentations, official statements. Not typically used in casual social settings.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations; universally understood and used in formal contexts across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
〜に伴って vs. 〜につれて
「に伴って」 emphasizes a direct correlation, consequence, or accompaniment, often suggesting a significant impact. 「〜につれて」 (as… progresses) emphasizes a gradual, continuous change, where one thing changes proportionally or in parallel with another. 「につれて」 often describes natural, often linear, processes.
When to use: Use 「に伴って」 when highlighting a consequence or a strong, often impactful, accompanying change. Use 「〜につれて」 for gradual, often observable, parallel changes (e.g., as it gets colder, the leaves change color).
〜に伴って vs. 〜とともに
「〜とともに」 can mean “together with” or “at the same time as.” While it can express concomitant change, 「に伴って」 more strongly implies that the second event is a *result* or *direct accompaniment* of the first. 「〜とともに」 can be broader, simply indicating co-occurrence without necessarily implying a causal link.
When to use: Use 「に伴って」 when the second event is a consequence or integral part of the first’s progression. Use 「〜とともに」 when things happen simply in unison or in parallel, or when expressing ‘together with’ people/things.
〜に伴って vs. 〜に従って
「〜に従って」 (according to/in accordance with/as…follows) implies following a rule, instruction, or a predetermined pattern. It can also mean ‘as’ in the sense of ‘as X progresses, Y follows,’ but often with a nuance of adherence or a more predictable, structured progression. 「に伴って」 is more about a natural or direct correlation/consequence.
When to use: Use 「に伴って」 for natural correlations or consequences. Use 「〜に従って」 when something happens in conformity with something else (e.g., according to the rules, as per instructions, or a change that follows a set course).
📝 Conjugation Notes
It attaches directly to nouns (Noun + に伴って) or to the dictionary form of verbs (Verb-dictionary form + に伴って). The た-form of verbs can also be used, though less commonly, for actions that have been completed and then lead to a subsequent change.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
「に伴って」 is pronounced ‘ni to-mo-nat-te’. The ‘to’ is pronounced clearly. The ‘nat’ part involves a small ‘tsu’ (っ) before ‘te’, creating a slight pause and emphasizing the following ‘te’ sound.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of とも (tomo) from ともだち (tomodachi – friend) meaning ‘together’. So, ‘accompanied together’ or ‘changing together with’. The て-form of 伴う (tomona.u) means ‘to accompany’ or ‘to be accompanied by’.
Vocabulary List
人口
jinkō
population
増加
zōka
increase
食料問題
shokuryō mondai
food problem
深刻化する
shinkokuka suru
to become serious/severe
技術
gijutsu
technology, technique
発展
hatten
development, progress
普及
spread, popularization
Kanji List
伴
ともな.う, ハン, バン
accompany, follow, attend
人口
じんこう
population
増加
ぞうか
increase
食料
しょくりょう
food supplies
問題
もんだい
problem
深刻
しんこく
serious, severe
技術
ぎじゅつ
technology
発展
はってん
development
生活
せいかつ
life
普及
ふきゅう
spread, popularization
情報
じょうほう
information
Practice Exercises
経済のグローバル化（ ）、国際競争が激しくなった。
に伴って
につれて
によって
のおかげで
スマートフォンの普及（ ）、生活スタイルが大きく変化した。
を始め
に伴い
を通じて
の一方で
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