刑務所にいればいるほど、体が大きくなる。
けいむしょ に いれば いる ほど、からだ が おおきく なる。
The longer you stay in prison, the bigger your body gets.
Let’s get down to business. Today we’re gonna break down a grammar pattern that’s as smooth as a Cadillac on a Sunday afternoon. We’re talking about ～ば～ほど (ba~hodo). You hear this joint all the time in the streets of Tokyo when folks are tryna talk about something that gets more intense, the more something else goes down. It’s like a cause-and-effect thing, but with a serious twist.
This grammar pattern, ～ば～ほど, is used to show a proportional relationship. The more you do something, the more a result happens. It’s like a one-two punch. The first part, the ～ば, sets up the condition, and the second part, the ～ほど, shows just how much that condition affects the outcome. It’s like saying, “The more… the more…” or “The less… the less…”
Alright, check the playbook. This table gonna break down the hustle for ya. It’s a two-step move that’ll have you soundin’ smooth.
| Word Type | Part 1: The Condition (The “～ば” part) | Part 2: The Payoff (The “～ほど” part) | Example |
| Verb | Change the final vowel to “え” + “ば“ | Use the dictionary form + “ほど“ | 行けば 行くほど (ikereba iku hodo) The more you go… |
| I-Adjective | Drop the final “い” + “ければ“ | Repeat the word + “ほど“ | 悪ければ 悪いほど (warukereba warui hodo) The worse it is… |
| Na-Adjective | Add “なら“ | Repeat the word + “ほど“ | 危険なら 危険なほど (kiken nara kiken na hodo) The more dangerous it is… |
| Noun | Add “なら“ | Repeat the noun + “ほど“ | 仲間なら 仲間ほど (nakama nara nakama hodo) The more friends… |
You see how it works? The first part, the ～ば, is the move you make, the condition you set. It’s like you’re layin’ down the law. Then the second part, the ～ほど, mirrors it to show the outcome. The verbs and I-adjectives keep it real simple, just repeat the word after you hit it with that conditional form. But watch out for those Na-adjectives, you gotta drop that little な in the second half. It’s like a secret handshake—you gotta do it right or the whole deal goes sour.
The way I see it, this grammar pattern is like cooking up a pot of gumbo. The more ingredients you throw in there—the good stuff, the spices, the meat—the better that gumbo’s gonna taste. The more you cook, the more flavor you get. You can’t just toss a little bit of stuff in there and expect a feast. It’s a proportional thing, you feel me? The more effort you put in, the better the result. The more you hustle, the more paper you stack.
Alright, fam, time to learn some new words that’ll help you get by on these mean streets.
違法なブツ (いほうな ブツ)
English: Illegal goods; contraband.
This ain’t about some little shoplifted candy bar, feel me? This is the heavy stuff, the illegal goods, the contraband that gets you locked up if the feds catch you. We talkin’ bout the kinda package you gotta move on the low, the kinda merch that ain’t on no official manifest. It’s what you gotta be slick to get your hands on, the stuff that’s gonna make you a G in the game, if you don’t get bagged first.
逆らう (さからう)
English: To go against; to defy.
Look, in this life, there’s rules, there’s a chain of command. But when you defy that, when you go against the family, the boss, or the streets themselves, that’s what this word means. It’s not just talkin’ back. It’s makin’ a choice to be on your own, to challenge the power structure. You better be ready for the smoke that comes with it, ’cause nobody takes kindly to a soldier who ain’t loyal.
塀 (へい)
English: Wall; prison wall.
Nah, we ain’t talkin’ bout your mama’s garden fence. This wall is somethin’ else entirely. When you hit this wall, it’s the kinda joint that holds you captive, that locks you down for the long haul. It’s the wall that separates the free from the caged. It’s the big house, the yard, the slammer—whatever you wanna call it. Once you’re behind this, your street cred means nothin’ but time.
乗り越える (のりこえる)
English: To overcome; to get over.
Every G faces challenges, straight up. But a real one knows how to overcome them. This ain’t just about climbin’ a literal wall, though you might have to. This is about gettin’ past the blockades, the roadblocks the streets throw at you. It’s dealin’ with betrayal, dodgin’ the heat, and comin’ out on top when everyone’s countin’ you out. It’s showin’ you got the heart to make it through the storm and keep your hustle on lock.
命 (いのち)
English: Life.
Word. This is the big one. It’s your life, your existence. In the streets, your life is the ultimate price. You can get money, cars, and power, but if you lose your life, it’s all gone. Every move you make, every deal you close, every beef you settle, you’re puttin’ this on the line. It’s the one thing you can’t get back once it’s gone. Keep your head on a swivel ’cause this is what’s on the line.
Here are 10 sentences to help you get the hang of it. Peep the examples, they’re straight from the playbook.
お金があればあるほど、敵も増える。
おかね が あれば ある ほど、てき も ふえる。
okane ga areba aru hodo, teki mo fueru.
The more money you have, the more enemies you get.
銃が多ければ多いほど、うるさくなる。
じゅう が おおければ おおい ほど、うるさく なる。
The more guns there are, the noisier it gets.
盗むものが少なければ少ないほど、捕まるリスクは低い。
ぬすむ もの が すくなければ すくない ほど、つかまる りすく は ひくい。
The fewer things you steal, the lower the risk of getting caught.
この計画はシンプルであればあるほど、成功しやすい。
この けいかく は しんぷる で あれば ある ほど、せいこう しやすい。
The simpler this plan is, the more likely it is to succeed.
違法なブツが重ければ重いほど、運ぶのが大変だ。
いほう な ぶつ が おもければ おもい ほど、はこぶ の が たいへん だ。
The heavier the illegal goods, the harder they are to transport.
仲間が増えれば増えるほど、秘密を守るのが難しくなる。
なかま が ふえれば ふえる ほど、ひみつ を まもる の が むずかしく なる。
The more friends you have, the harder it is to keep a secret.
警察が多ければ多いほど、逃げるのが大変だ。
けいさつ が おおければ おおい ほど、にげる の が たいへん だ。
The more police there are, the harder it is to escape.
ボスに逆らえば逆らうほど、あなたの命は短くなる。
ぼす に さからえば さからう ほど、あなたの いのち は みじかく なる。
The more you go against the boss, the shorter your life becomes.
刑務所の塀が高ければ高いほど、乗り越えるのが怖い。
keimusho no hei ga takakereba takai hodo, norikoeru no ga kowai.
The higher the prison wall is, the scarier it is to climb over.
刑務所で過ごす時間が長ければ長いほど、出所後の生活は難しい。
けいむしょ で すごす じかん が ながければ ながい ほど、しゅっしょご の せいかつ は むずかしい。
The longer you spend in prison, the harder life is after you get out.
Now go on and get this money, you heard? Peace out.
Leave a comment