JLPT N2 grammar
〜ば〜ほど — Meaning & Examples
"The more X, the more Y." 練習すればするほど上手になる = the more you practise, the better you get. i-adj: 安ければ安いほど. Expresses a direct proportional relationship.
〜ば〜ほど — "The More... The More"
This pattern expresses that as one thing increases, another increases (or decreases) along with it.
Pattern: [ば-form] + [dictionary form] + ほど
練習すればするほど、上手になる。
= The more you practise, the better you get.
考えれば考えるほど、分からなくなる。
= The more I think about it, the less I understand.
With i-adjectives: [ければ] + [い] + ほど
安ければ安いほどいい。
= The cheaper, the better.
With na-adjectives: [なら(ば)] + [な] + ほど
便利なら便利なほど、人気が出る。
= The more convenient it is, the more popular it becomes.
Shortcut: Native speakers often drop the first half:
高いほどいいというものでもない。
= It's not that the more expensive, the better.
Key feeling: A direct, proportional relationship between two things. Extremely common and useful — you'll use this constantly.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜ば〜ほど. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. "The more you practise, the better you get" uses?
- 練習するにつれて (renshuu suru ni tsurete)
- 練習するほど疲れる (renshuu suru hodo tsukareru)
- 練習するにしたがって (renshuu suru ni shitagatte)
- 練習すればするほど (renshuu sureba suru hodo)
Show answer
Answer: 練習すればするほど (renshuu sureba suru hodo)
ば〜ほど = "the more... the more." 練習すればするほど上手になる. The classic proportional pattern.
2. The i-adjective form of ば〜ほど for 安い ("the cheaper the better") is?
- 安いば安いほど (yasui ba yasui hodo)
- 安いなら安いほど (yasui nara yasui hodo)
- 安ければ安いほど (yasukereba yasui hodo)
- 安くて安いほど (yasukute yasui hodo)
Show answer
Answer: 安ければ安いほど (yasukereba yasui hodo)
i-adj: ければ + い + ほど. 安ければ安いほどいい = the cheaper, the better.
3. "Today isn't as hot as yesterday" uses?
- 今日は昨日につれて暑い (kyou wa kinou ni tsurete atsui)
- 今日は昨日ほど暑くない (kyou wa kinou hodo atsukunai)
- 今日は昨日ばほど暑い (kyou wa kinou ba hodo atsui)
- 今日は昨日にしたがって暑い (kyou wa kinou ni shitagatte atsui)
Show answer
Answer: 今日は昨日ほど暑くない (kyou wa kinou hodo atsukunai)
ほど〜ない for comparison: 昨日ほど暑くない = not as hot as yesterday.
Practise 〜ば〜ほど in the free app
This point is part of the “Proportion and Change — ば〜ほど・につれて・にしたがって” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N2 grammar points
From the same lesson: Proportion and Change — ば〜ほど・につれて・にしたがって
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜ば〜ほど mean?
"The more X, the more Y." 練習すればするほど上手になる = the more you practise, the better you get. i-adj: 安ければ安いほど. Expresses a direct proportional relationship.
Is 〜ば〜ほど on the JLPT N2 test?
〜ば〜ほど is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Proportion and Change — ば〜ほど・につれて・にしたがって”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜ば〜ほど?
Open the “Proportion and Change — ば〜ほど・につれて・にしたがって” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N2 mock exams, with no ads.