Translation guide
The English word "increase" can be expressed in Japanese through verbs, nouns, and patterns that describe growth, addition, or escalation. The most common and versatile option is 増える (intransitive) / 増やす (transitive). Other choices depend on whether the increase is in number, degree, speed, or intensity, and whether it is natural or intentional.
To say that something increases in number, amount, or degree on its own.
The most common and neutral intransitive verb for 'increase'. Used for countable things, amounts, and abstract levels.
人口が増えている。
The population is increasing.
最近、仕事が増えた。
My workload has increased recently.
A formal, written-style verb often used in reports or news. Functions as both intransitive and transitive.
犯罪が増加している。
Crime is increasing.
Intransitive verb for 'rise' or 'go up', used for prices, temperature, status, etc.
物価が上がった。
Prices have increased.
Intransitive verb implying growth or extension, often used for sales, abilities, or physical length.
売上が伸びた。
Sales increased.
To say that someone or something increases something else.
The most common transitive verb for 'increase'. Used when you actively make something grow in number or amount.
貯金を増やしたい。
I want to increase my savings.
会社は人員を増やした。
The company increased its staff.
Transitive verb for 'raise' or 'increase', used for prices, volume, standards, etc.
Causative form of 増加する, explicitly transitive. Formal and often used in business or academic contexts.
需要を増加させる政策
a policy to increase demand
To express that speed, tempo, or rate becomes faster.
Literally 'become fast'. The most natural way to say speed increases.
車の速度が速くなった。
The car's speed increased.
To accelerate. Used for vehicles, processes, or trends.
景気の減速が加速した。
The economic slowdown accelerated.
To say that strength, severity, or intensity grows.
Intransitive verb for 'intensify' or 'become stronger'. Used for wind, rain, feelings, pressure, etc.
風が強まっている。
The wind is increasing.
To become violent or intense. Common for rain, pain, competition.
雨が激しくなった。
The rain increased in intensity.
Intransitive verb for 'rise' or 'build up', often used for emotions, tension, or awareness.
To refer to the concept or instance of increase as a noun.
The most general noun for 'increase'. Neutral and widely used.
人口の増加が問題になっている。
The increase in population is becoming a problem.
A formal noun implying a large or significant increase, often in scale or volume.
A rise or climb, used for numerical values like prices, temperature, or rates.
増える is intransitive (something increases by itself). 増やす is transitive (someone increases something). Mixing them up is a common mistake.
English 'increase' covers many concepts. In Japanese, 上がる (rise), 伸びる (grow/extend), 強まる (intensify) are often more natural depending on context. Using 増える for speed or intensity can sound unnatural.
The government increased taxes.
期待が高まっている。
Expectations are increasing.
コストの増大を抑える。
to curb the increase in costs
気温の上昇が続いている。
The temperature increase continues.