ば＋ほど
The more you…
Word ば form + Same word dictionary + ほど
Although ば＋ほど sounds like a mouthful, its relatively easy and quite useful.
It is formed by the ば form of a word + the same word + ほど. Literally, the phrase could be translated as ”If you X, then as much as you X you will…”
It is used to describe results associated with something else. It should describe a causal relationship.
This pattern is frequently paired with いい and (With verbs) state changes like なる、ていく、and てくる
ほど is a particle and replaces other particles.
Examples
- 飲めば飲むほど酔ってくる – The more you drink, the more drunk you will become.
- 働けば働くほど、疲れる – The more you work the more tired you will become.
- 薬を飲めば飲むほど元気になる – The more medicine you take, the healthier you will become.
- 早ければ早いほどいい – The earlier the better.
- 問題を無視すれば無視するほど大きくなる – The more you ignore the problem the bigger it will become.
- 静であればあるほど、不気味だ – The quieter it is, the creepier it feels.
- 離れれば離れるほど恋しくなる – The more I am away from it, the more I miss it.
Note about な Adjectives
な adjectives may use either あるほど or なほど with no real difference.
I personally prefer (and hear more often) あるほど as it matches である and is faster to say.
- 静であればあるほど 〇
- 静であれば静かなほど 〇
Incidentally, な apparently originated from である.