Meaning & Usage
にしたがって (ni shitagatte) comes from the verb 従う (shitagau) — to follow, obey, or comply. That root meaning branches into two distinct uses you will encounter throughout N2-level texts, business Japanese, and formal writing.
The first meaning expresses parallel progression: as one thing changes, another changes alongside it. Two processes move together — when one shifts, the other shifts with it. This is often translated as "as ~" or "as ~ progresses." Neither event directly causes the other; they co-occur.
The second meaning describes acting in conformity with something fixed — a rule, instruction, order, or established procedure. This usage is more static, and it dominates legal documents, company handbooks, and formal announcements.
Register-wise, にしたがって skews formal to neutral. Written Japanese — news articles, business documents, academic papers — uses it freely. Casual conversation rarely does, where simpler constructions feel more natural. Both meanings appear regularly at the N2 level, so knowing which is active in a given sentence matters for reading comprehension.
One way to remember both usages: にしたがって always describes a follower relationship. In the first meaning, event B follows along as event A progresses. In the second, a person follows a rule or order. Both stem naturally from 従う.
Structure & Formation
Formation depends on whether にしたがって attaches to a verb or a noun:
| Word Type | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | 動詞 + にしたがって | 進むにしたがって |
| Noun | 名詞 + にしたがって | 規則にしたがって |
There is also a variant form: にしたがい (ni shitagai), the conjunctive (masu-stem) equivalent. It appears frequently in formal writing with no difference in meaning.
- Verb (dictionary form) + にしたがって／にしたがい — parallel change over time or progression
- Noun + にしたがって／にしたがい — adherence to rules, orders, or instructions
One rule to keep in mind: the verb before にしたがって must be in its plain dictionary (non-past) form. It does not attach to the te-form or masu-form. For nouns, attach にしたがって directly with no modification needed.
Example Sentences
Expressing Parallel Change Over Time
時間が経つにしたがって、記憶は薄れていった。
Jikan ga tatsu ni shitagatte, kioku wa usurete itta.
As time passed, the memories gradually faded.
年齢を重ねるにしたがって、健康の大切さがわかってきた。
Nenrei wo kasaneru ni shitagatte, kenkou no taisetsu-sa ga wakatte kita.
As I grew older, I came to understand the importance of health.
技術が進歩するにしたがって、私たちの生活も変わっていく。
Gijutsu ga shinpo suru ni shitagatte, watashitachi no seikatsu mo kawatte iku.
As technology advances, our lives also continue to change.
練習を積むにしたがって、演奏がうまくなってきた。
Renshuu wo tsumu ni shitagatte, ensou ga umaku natte kita.
As I accumulated practice, my playing gradually improved.
山を登るにしたがって、気温が下がっていった。
Yama wo noboru ni shitagatte, kion ga sagatte itta.
As we climbed the mountain, the temperature gradually dropped.
Expressing Adherence to Rules and Instructions
会社の規則にしたがって、全員が制服を着用しなければならない。
Kaisha no kisoku ni shitagatte, zen'in ga seifuku wo chakuyou shinakereba naranai.
In accordance with company regulations, all employees must wear uniforms.
医師の指示にしたがって、薬を服用してください。
Ishi no shiji ni shitagatte, kusuri wo fukuyou shite kudasai.
Please take the medicine in accordance with the doctor's instructions.
法律にしたがって、適切な手続きを踏む必要がある。
Houritsu ni shitagatte, tekisetsu na tetsuzuki wo fumu hitsuyou ga aru.
It is necessary to follow proper procedures in accordance with the law.
説明書にしたがって、機械を組み立てた。
Setsumei-sho ni shitagatte, kikai wo kumitateta.
I assembled the machine following the instruction manual.
Using the Variant Form にしたがい
経済が発展するにしたがい、都市への人口集中が進んだ。
Keizai ga hatten suru ni shitagai, toshi e no jinkou shuuchuu ga susunda.
As the economy developed, the concentration of population in cities progressed.
上司の命令にしたがい、部下たちは直ちに行動した。
Joushi no meirei ni shitagai, buka-tachi wa tadachi ni koudou shita.
Following their superior's orders, the subordinates acted immediately.
季節が変わるにしたがい、木々の色も移り変わる。
Kisetsu ga kawaru ni shitagai, kigi no iro mo utsurikawaru.
As the seasons change, the colors of the trees also transform.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the Te-form of a Verb Instead of the Dictionary Form
❌ 時間が経ってにしたがって、記憶が薄れた。
✅ 時間が経つにしたがって、記憶が薄れた。
Attaching にしたがって to a te-form verb (経って) instead of the dictionary form (経つ) is a frequent error. The rule is simple: only plain dictionary (non-past) forms appear before にしたがって. Te-forms belong with different patterns such as ～につれて or ～にともなって. Always use the base form.
Mistake 2: Confusing にしたがって with につれて
❌ 規則にしたがって、気温が上がるにつれて、服装も変わる。 (mixing them incorrectly)
✅ 気温が上がるにしたがって、服装も変わる。
These two patterns overlap significantly, so mixing them up is natural. For parallel change involving gradual or natural events, both are often interchangeable. The real distinction: にしたがって covers rule-following and compliance — a usage につれて simply does not have. When a sentence involves an order, regulation, or procedure, にしたがって is the only correct choice. Do not use につれて in those contexts.
Mistake 3: Using にしたがって with Adjectives Directly
❌ 難しいにしたがって、勉強時間が増えた。
✅ 難易度が上がるにしたがって、勉強時間が増えた。
にしたがって does not attach directly to い-adjectives or な-adjectives. To express proportional change tied to a quality, nominalize or restructure the sentence. In the corrected example, instead of attaching to 難しい, the noun 難易度 (difficulty level) pairs with a verb (上がる) to produce a grammatically sound sentence.
Mistake 4: Forgetting That the Resulting Clause Must Describe a Change
❌ 時間が経つにしたがって、私は学生だ。
✅ 時間が経つにしたがって、私は大人になっていった。
When にしたがって expresses parallel change, the main clause must describe a progression — not a static state. 「学生だ」 is a fixed identity statement. If the result clause describes something that does not shift or evolve, the sentence breaks down semantically. Make sure the result shows movement or change.
Mistake 5: Overusing にしたがって in Casual Speech
❌ (In casual conversation) 年取るにしたがってさ、体がきつくなるよね。
✅ (Casual) 年を取ると、体がきつくなるよね。
にしたがって is a formal pattern. In casual conversation it sounds stiff and out of place. Everyday spoken Japanese favors simpler constructions like ～と or ～につれて, or drops the connector entirely. Save にしたがって for written Japanese, formal presentations, and business settings.
Cultural Notes
The rule-following meaning of にしたがって connects to something real in Japanese professional culture. The verb 従う carries an implicit respect for hierarchy, social norms, and established procedures. Phrases like 規則にしたがって (in accordance with the rules) or 指示にしたがって (following instructions) are not just bureaucratic filler — they signal alignment with collective order and the cultural value of 和 (wa, harmony).
Government announcements, corporate communications, and legal documents all lean heavily on this pattern. When a government agency publishes new policy, citizens are told to act にしたがって the regulation. When a company revises procedures, employees are instructed to operate にしたがって the updated guidelines. Recognizing this pattern is a practical literacy skill, not just a grammar point.
Academic and scientific writing favors the parallel-change meaning. Researchers describing data trends write sentences like 「サンプルサイズが増加するにしたがって、結果の精度が高まる」(As the sample size increases, the precision of results improves). This pattern appears frequently in N2 and N1 academic reading passages.
JLPT Tips
On the N2 exam, にしたがって appears in both reading comprehension and grammar fill-in-the-blank questions. The most common fill-in-the-blank trap is choosing between にしたがって and its near-synonyms につれて or にともなって. Here is how to separate them: when the sentence involves following a rule, order, or instruction, only にしたがって is correct — the others do not carry this meaning. When the sentence involves parallel natural change, all three may be valid; use context and formality level to narrow it down.
In reading comprehension, identify which meaning is active. Is にしたがって describing a dynamic trend (demographic shift, economic growth) or procedural compliance (following a law, a manual)? Pinning down the correct reading sharpens your answers to inference and detail questions.
For the grammar section, keep formation rules front of mind: only dictionary-form verbs or nouns precede にしたがって. A te-form before it is almost always a wrong answer. Also note that the variant form にしたがい is equally correct — do not rule it out in multiple-choice questions just because it looks different.
Finally, pay attention to register. If an answer choice places にしたがって in a clearly casual exchange — friends chatting, an informal text — it is likely a trap. The JLPT tests not just meaning but appropriate context of use. This grammar belongs in formal registers, and the exam will check whether you know that.