Structure
Verb[る]+ ことにする
Verb[ない]+ ことにする
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ことにする
In a similar way to how にする means to 'decide on' something, ことにする means to decide on a situation, or course of action. This grammar point is a combination of 事 'thing' in its role as a nominalizer (a word that creates a noun-phrase), and にする 'to make it (A)'. Literally this grammar structure can be translated as 'to do (A)', or 'to make it (A)'.
ことにする may be used with verb-phrases that are either in the affirmative, or negative (using ない) forms. As こと itself is a noun, the verb (or auxiliary verb) that comes before it will need to be in its attributive form.
ことにする may be used with verb-phrases that are either in the affirmative, or negative (using ない) forms. As こと itself is a noun, the verb (or auxiliary verb) that comes before it will need to be in its attributive form.
- 今日はワクチンを打ったから、明日は仕事を休むことにする。Today I got vaccinated, so I will go with taking the day off tomorrow.
- タマキさんと箱根に行くことにする。I have decided to go to Hakone with Tamaki-san.
- 今日は雨が降っているから、明日行くことにしない?It is raining today, don't you want to make it that we go tomorrow?
- 勝手に僕が行くという事にしないでください。Please don't decide that I will go without asking me. (Please don't assume that I want to go)
Caution
The する in にする itself may also be seen using ない, to mean that someone has decided 'against' doing something. Due to this, careful attention will need to be paid to the overall structure of the sentence.- これからは肉を食べることにする。I have decided to eat meat from now on.
- これからは肉を食べることにしない?Let's decide to eat meat from now on.
- これからは肉を食べないことにする。I have decided to not eat meat from now on.
- これからは肉を食べないことにしない。I have decided to not not eat meat from now on.
Synonyms
Examples
今日はエイプリルフールだからウソしか言わないことにする。
Since today is April Fool's, I've decided to only tell lies.
あの場所で、記念写真を撮ることにします。
We've decided to take the commemorative photo at that place.
九時に終わるか分からなかったが、早めに帰ることにしました。
I didn't know if it would finish at nine but, I decided to go home in advance.
これ以上言わないことにします。もし何か言ったら彼女を怒らせるでしょう。
I have decided not to say anything else. If I say something, it would piss her off.
この商品、無料で配ることにします。
I have decided to hand out this product for free.
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ことになる/する
MaggieSensei
Grammar Notes and Breakdown
JLPT 先生
Offline
Genki II 1st Edition
Page 227
Genki II 2nd Edition
Page 259
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 204
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 132
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 16
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ことにする – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (9 in total)
Chrispy
Any update when this grammar point will be added? It should be N2/N1 (according to the Try N2 book or JLPT Sensei).
clover1
I’ve run into some sources which say (example) that ことにしている means “do something as a regular practice,” while ことにする or ことにした is “decide(d) to do.”
I’m curious about how the difference in tenses play out in this example:
Meatdog
The difference between 事にする and 事になる?
Looking at the examples, is it true that 事ことにする would be used for someone specific, like me,they,her,she,them for example? And ことになる would be used for some indirect unmentioned person or thing that did the deciding?
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