Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 4: 6/18

にする・くするAdjective + する, To make something/someone (more)

Structure

[な]Adjective + + する
[い]Adjective[く]+ する
Noun + + する

Details

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About ~にする・~くする

When combined with a な-Adjective, にする (or くする in the case of い-Adjectives) carries the meaning of 'to make more (A)'.

Just like the にする grammar point that is used for highlighting decisions, this にする construction implies that the speaker has a high level of control over the action.

Basically, this changes the adjective into an adverb, and then uses する to show that the adjective itself is the thing that is being done.

Fun Fact

にする is one of four regularly repeating grammar patterns in Japanese that highlight the level of control that the speaker has over the action/result of an action. From highest to lowest level of control, these are as follows:

にする - High level of control, the speaker/subject can perform this action themselves.

になる - High level of control, the speaker/subject can perform this action themselves, but there is no external target.

とする - Medium level of control, the speaker/subject can perform this action, but some outside factors may need to be considered (difficulty, other people, time, etc.).

となる - Low level of control, the speaker/subject has almost no control over these actions, and something that came about purely due to external factors is being discussed.

Examples

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    頑張(がんば)って部品(ぶひん)(ちい)さくしてください

    Please try your best to make the parts smaller.

    布団(ふとん)(あたら)しくしたから気持(きも)ちいい。

    I got a new futon, so it is comfortable. (Literally - I did it new)

    歯医者(はいしゃ)さん()(しろ)くしてもらった

    I had the dentist make my teeth whiter. (Literally - Do white)

    花見(はなみ)(あたた)かくして()(ほう)がいい

    You should make yourself warm when going to a flower-viewing party. (Literally - Do warm)

    この部屋(へや)(おお)きくしたいです

    I want to make this room bigger. (Literally - Do big)

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~にする・~くする – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (16 in total)

  • Pushindawood

    Pushindawood

    Adjective + する

    • to make something/someone…(more)

    Structure

    • い-Adjective + く + する
    • な-Adjective + に + する

    View on Bunpro

  • deltacat3

    deltacat3

    As in the sentences:

    布団を新しくしたから気持ちいい。
    I got a new futon, so it is comfortable. [lit. ‘I made it new’]]

    法律を新しくしてほしい。
    I want them to renew (make new) the law.

    Can 新しくする mean either to renew or get something new?

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    Hey

    It literally means to make something new, so among others replace the old thing with a new thing or return something to the initial state (renew).

    Cheers!

  • deltacat3

    deltacat3

    Fantastic, thank you for the clarification! <3

  • flowsnake

    flowsnake

    For this answer:

    顔を くろくし すぎです

    This seems similar to すぎる (https://bunpro.jp/grammar_points/76) but I don’t remember seeing it in this verb[stem] + すぎです form. Am I forgetting a lesson?

  • nekoyama

    nekoyama

    すぎる is sometimes used like this in its stem form. The Tae Kim article linked from its grammar point mentions it in passing, but I don’t recall it being tested on bunpro.

  • GrymSylvar

    GrymSylvar

    I find it hard to remember when to use して or する for this grammar point.

  • LMOH

    LMOH

    Hello, I have a question about the “fun fact” section, where it compares this grammar point to other similar ones.
    にする is high level of control, the speaker can do it for themselves.
    になる is also high level control, but there is not external target
    What does “no external target” mean? Maybe my question is, could someone reword this description for me?
    This might technically be a question about になる, but my question is about the description included on the にする page.
    TIA!

  • Superpnut

    Superpnut

    What is the difference between する and して?
    I can’t find any pattern in it and none of the resources mention anything about it. They just swap between the two without any explanation.
    Also it’d be nice if bunpro gave me a hint when I’m using the wrong one explaining why it isn’t usable there instead of just marking it wrong.
    Would appreciate an explanation or link explaining this because I can’t find anything

  • nekoyama

    nekoyama

    It’s just dictionary form (する) vs て form (して ) and they’re used like with every other verb. する modifies nouns, ends sentences, or is used before words/particles that follow the dictionary form etc. して is used to connect clauses, or with words/particles that follow the て form like in してください etc.

  • Superpnut

    Superpnut

    Oh thank you very much!
    I just couldn’t find a good explanation online, or an explanation at all and I just couldn’t figure out the pattern. Still wish they added an explanation to that on the grammar point though. Or make a different point for して if they aren’t going to explain that half of it.
    Thanks!

  • SebastianLassen

    SebastianLassen

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    Yeah you’re def right

    Might have better luck in the feedback and bug report thread to be seen

  • dezyhe

    dezyhe

    In もっと簡単に便利にする方法がありますよ, is both 簡単 and 便利 being used in this にする grammar point?

    Essentially, should I interpret the sentence like:
    もっと(簡単に便利に)する方法がありますよ?

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    Hey @dezyhe !

    It would be more accurate to interprete this as (もっと簡単に)(便利にする方法がありますよ)!

  • Zeric

    Zeric

    かおくろくしすぎです。(くろい)

    where is the る going in the くする?
    How does くする conjugate into just くし?

  • casual

    casual

    As others pointed out earlier in this topic, this is する conjugating to しすぎ “doing too much” (すぎる (JLPT N5) | Bunpro)

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