N3 Emphasis, Limitation, and Addition

~ば〜ほど: meaning, usage and examples

~ば〜ほど means: the more... the more...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. この本ほんは、読よめば読よむほどおもしろい。

   The more I read this book, the more interesting it gets.

2. 日本語にほんごは、勉強べんきょうすればするほど難むずかしくなる。

   The more you study Japanese, the more difficult it becomes.

3. 部屋へやは広ひろければ広ひろいほど、家賃やちんが高たかくなります。

   The bigger the apartment, the higher the rent.

4. 説明せつめいは簡単かんたんなら簡単かんたんなほどいいです。

   The simpler the explanation, the better.

When to use it

Means 'the more X, the more Y'. The same word is said twice, first in the ば form, then in the plain form before ほど: 読よめば読よむほど面白おもしろい 'the more I read it, the more interesting it gets'. Use it to show that one change goes with another, in daily talk and in general rules.

Nuance

Used in both speech and writing. The second half often uses なる to show change (上手じょうずになる, 難むずかしくなる). In writing the ば part can be dropped: 練習れんしゅうするほど上手じょうずになる means the same thing.

Compare

Compare ほど〜ない (not as... as): 昨日きのうほど寒さむくない is a comparison of two things. ば〜ほど shows two things changing together. Compare ば alone: 練習れんしゅうすれば上手じょうずになる 'if you practice, you'll improve' only states a condition; ば〜ほど shows the more you do, the more it changes.

Tip: Repeat the same word on both sides: 高たかければ高たかいほど, 静しずかなら静しずかなほど. Using two different words is a common mistake.