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Japanese Versatility List

Becoming

Stage 4Grammar patterns as vocabularyChunk 6 of 27 · items 395–397 of 484

Change-of-state frames on naru and suru: something becomes X, someone makes it X, a skill or habit gradually comes about.

-ku naru / -ni naru

polite -ku narimasu / -ni narimasudrama rank #29*

become, get (adj, noun)

〜くなる／〜になる 〜くなります／〜になります

Marks a change of state: i-adjectives take -ku naru (samuku naru), na-adjectives and nouns take ni naru (genki ni naru, isha ni naru).

casual

kami, mijikaku natta ne.

Your hair's gotten short!

髪、短くなったね。

polite

kami, mijikaku narimashita ne.

Your hair's gotten short!

髪、短くなりましたね。

ii -> yoku naru: yoku natta = it got better.

Learn alongside: -ku suruLearn first: naru

-ku suru

polite -ku shimasudrama rank none

make it (adj)

〜くする 〜くします

Makes something X on purpose: i-adjectives take -ku suru (yasuku suru, hayaku shite), na-adjectives take ni suru (shizuka ni shite), often as a -te request.

casual

kami, mijikaku shita.

I got my hair cut short.

髪、短くした。

polite

kami, mijikaku shimashita.

I got my hair cut short.

髪、短くしました。

Common as a request: hayaku shite (hurry up), shizuka ni shite (keep it down). Na-adjective ni suru isn't the choosing ni suru: kirei ni suru = tidy it up, koohii ni suru = I'll have coffee.

Learn alongside: -ku naru / -ni naruLearn first: -ku naru / -ni naru, suru

-you ni naru

polite -you ni narimasudrama rank #462*

come to (be able to)

〜ようになる 〜ようになります

After a plain verb, often a potential, marks a gradual change in ability or habit (hanaseru you ni natta, hayaku okiru you ni natta).

casual

chotto hanaseru you ni natta.

I can speak a little now.

ちょっと話せるようになった。

polite

sukoshi hanaseru you ni narimashita.

I can speak a little now.

少し話せるようになりました。

It implies change over time; for losing an ability say -naku natta (taberarenaku natta).

Learn first: naru, -eru / -rareru