Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 2: 23/24

が気(き)になるTo be interested in, To be concerned about

Structure

Noun + が気(き)になる
Verb + こと(1) + が気(き)になる

(1) の

Details

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About が気になる

One of the many collocations in Japanese based on 気(き) 'attention', or 'focus', is 気(き)になる. This is just a combination of the noun 気(き), に, and the う-Verb なる 'to become'. Also, 気になる will come after (A) が, where (A) marks the thing that is drawing the 'attention' or 'focus' of the speaker.

The most common translations for this structure are 'to be interested in (A)', or 'to be concerned about (A)'. This grammar pattern will appear before nouns, and noun-like phrases.

Caution

Unlike 気(き)にする, which implies more that the speaker in intentionally putting their 'focus' on (A) due to it being difficult to ignore, the use of なる just highlights that (A) is 'becoming' something that is being focused on naturally, due to either the speakers concern or interest in the result.

  • 私(わたし)が気(き)にすることは彼(かれ)が良(い)い人(ひと)かどうかだけです。
    All I care about is whether he is a good person or not.
  • 私(わたし)が気(き)になることは彼(かれ)が良(い)い人(ひと)かどうかだけです。
    The only thing that I am concerned about is whether he is a good person or not.

Examples

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    あの工場(こうじょう)見学(けんがく)が気(き)になる。

    I am interested in taking a tour of that factory.

    最近(さいきん)、芸能界(げいのうかい)が気(き)になる。

    Recently, I have become interested in the entertainment world.

    あの映画(えいが)が気(き)になっている。あらすじだけは知(し)っているけど。

    I am interested in that movie. I only know the summary of it though.

    この香水(こうすい)を付(つ)けている人(ひと)が気(き)になる。

    I am interested in people who wear this perfume. (concerned with)

    クッキーよりもその入(い)れ物(もの)が気(き)になっている。すごくかわいいから。

    I am even more interested in the box than the cookies. It is so cute!

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が気になる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • darkness_rising

    darkness_rising

    Question about this example sentence:

    この足跡が気になる。もしかしたら熊の足跡かもしれません。

    気になる is in casual form but かもしれません isn’t. Is this a mistake or is 気になる a set phrase that doesn’t become 気になります?

  • Elliotjoyner3

    Elliotjoyner3

    This is a very late reply, but I’ve seen 気になります used by native speakers, so it can definitely be used in the polite form aswell!

    I’m not sure why it isn’t used in the example sentence though.

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