〜に加えて — JLPT N2 Grammar

Learn how to use 〜に加えて (ni kuwaete) to express 'in addition to' when adding further information or elements. Includes structure, nuance, examples, and comparisons.

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Pattern

Noun + に加えて Noun + に加え (formal/written variant) Noun + に加えた + Noun (attributive: "a Noun that was added to ~")

The noun before に加えて is the base or primary thing to which something is being added.

Formality

Standard to Formal. に加えて is natural in both formal writing and spoken Japanese. The abbreviated form に加え is more common in written texts such as reports, news articles, and official documents.

Meaning

In addition to ~; on top of ~; adding to ~

〜に加えて introduces a further element that is being added to an already-mentioned item or situation. It stacks information — X exists, and furthermore Y is added.

Explanation

に加えて is a compound postposition built from に (particle) + 加えて (te-form of 加える, "to add"). The literal sense is "adding to ~," making the additive meaning transparent. This pattern is used when you want to say that something else is being layered on top of a base item.

The key character of に加えて is neutrality — it does not carry any evaluative nuance beyond simple addition. The added element can be something positive (skills, resources, qualities) or negative (problems, difficulties, risks). This makes it versatile for both positive and negative contexts: スキルに加えて経験も必要だ (in addition to skills, experience is also necessary) or 疲れに加えて熱まで出た (on top of fatigue, I even developed a fever).

に加えて is frequently used in formal reports and news to add supporting details: 価格の上昇に加えて、品質も低下した (in addition to price increases, quality also declined). The additive items share the same general topic or context — unlike contrast patterns, に加えて is used when both items point in the same direction or share the same theme.

Example Sentences

  1. 英語力に加えて、プログラミングのスキルも求められる。 Eigoryoku ni kuwaete, puroguramingu no sukiru mo motomerareru. In addition to English ability, programming skills are also required.

  2. この地域は交通が不便なのに加えて、物価も高い。 Kono chiiki wa koutsuu ga fuben na no ni kuwaete, bukka mo takai. This area is not only inconvenient in terms of transportation, but prices are also high.

  3. 悪天候に加えて、機材のトラブルも重なり、イベントは中止になった。 Akutenkou ni kuwaete, kizai no toraburu mo kasanari, ibento wa chuushi ni natta. In addition to bad weather, equipment trouble also piled up, and the event was cancelled.

  4. 長年の経験に加え、豊富な人脈が彼の強みだ。 Naganen no keiken ni kuwae, houfu na jinmyaku ga kare no tsuyomi da. In addition to years of experience, his extensive network is his strength.

  5. 育児の負担に加えて、介護まで引き受けることになった。 Ikuji no futan ni kuwaete, kaigo made hikiukeru koto ni natta. On top of the burden of childcare, I ended up also taking on nursing care.

  6. 気温の低下に加えて、風も強くなったため、体感温度はかなり下がった。 Kion no teika ni kuwaete, kaze mo tsuyoku natta tame, taikan-ondo wa kanari sagatta. Due to both a drop in temperature and increased wind, the felt temperature fell considerably.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Confusing に加えて with だけでなく for emphasis. Both mean "in addition to / not only," but に加えて is purely additive and neutral, while だけでなく often carries an emphasis that something beyond the expected is also included.

  • に加えて: simply layers items together — one plus another.
  • だけでなく: emphasizes that the second item is an unexpected or noteworthy extra.

When the addition is surprising or creates a stronger rhetorical effect, だけでなく (or ばかりか) is more natural.

Mistake 2: Using に加えて to contrast or qualify. に加えて cannot express contrast. If two items are being set against each other (A is this, but B is that), use 〜に対して, 〜一方で, or 〜とは違って instead.

Compare With

Pattern Meaning Key Difference
〜に加えて in addition to Neutral, simple addition of another element.
〜だけでなく not only ~ but also Emphasizes that the second item goes beyond what was already stated — often implies surprise or added weight.
〜ばかりか not only ~ but even Stronger emphasis; the added item is typically more extreme or unexpected than the first. Often implies escalation.
〜はもとより not only ~ but also (naturally) The base item is so obvious that it goes without saying; the added item is the main point.
〜のみならず not only ~ but also Very formal written equivalent of だけでなく. Used in official documents and academic writing.

The practical difference: に加えて simply adds (A plus B); だけでなく emphasizes the addition ("not just A, but also B"); ばかりか escalates ("not only A, but even B — which is more than you'd expect").