N3 Time, Sequences, and Change

~にしたがって: meaning, usage and examples

~にしたがって means: as... (gradual change) / following, in accordance with (a rule or instruction).

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

Examples

1. 北きたに行いくにしたがって、気温きおんが低ひくくなる。

   As you go further north, As you go further north, the temperature gets lower..

2. 試験しけんが近ちかづくにしたがって、緊張きんちょうしてきた。

   I've become more nervous as the exam gets closer.

3. 学年がくねんが上あがるにしたがって、勉強べんきょうが難むずかしくなります。

   As you move up a grade, your studies get harder.

4. 駅えきに近ちかづくにしたがって、人ひとが多おおくなってきました。

   The closer we got to the station, the more crowded it became.

When to use it

With a verb or noun of change, にしたがって means "as X changes, Y changes along with it": 山やまを登のぼるにしたがって、空気くうきが冷つめたくなる. It describes a gradual, proportional change. With a noun such as 規則きそく, 指示しじ or 地図ちず, it means something different, "following" or "in accordance with": 説明せつめいにしたがって組くみ立たてる.

Nuance

It sounds somewhat formal and is common in explanations and written Japanese. In the change meaning, both parts describe gradual changes, so the second clause often uses なる, てくる or ていく. It is not used for a one-time event.

Compare

につれて is almost the same in the change meaning but cannot mean "following a rule." とともに is more formal and puts two changes side by side: 時代じだいとともに変かわる. にしたがって stresses that the second change follows the first step by step. ば〜ほど (読よめば読よむほど) is a more conversational "the more..., the more..."

Tip: If "gradually" fits in the English, it is the change meaning. If the noun is a rule, map or instruction, it means "follow."