Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 4: 9/19

様(よう)になるTo reach the point that, To come to be that, To turn into

Structure

Verb［できる］(1) + ように + なる

(1) Verb［ない］、Verb［る］

Details

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    Standard

About ようになる

When combined with the particle に, and the う-Verb なる, よう expresses that a particular action has reached the point of being completed/able to be completed. Because of this, ようになる is regularly translated as 'to reach the point that (A)', or 'to turn into (A)'.

To use ようになる, it will need to be added to the plain-potential, non-past form of a verb.

Caution

When using this grammar construction, we will need to remember that する does not have a potential form. Therefore, できる will be used with words that usually act as する verbs.

However, ようになる is not limited to being used in affirmative sentences, and may also be used after a verb with ない. This shows that something has reached the point of 'not' being able to be completed.

Related

Examples

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    ちゃんと英語(えいご)を勉強(べんきょう)すれば、話(はな)せるようになる。

    If you study English diligently, then you will reach a point where you can speak it.

    泳(およ)げるようになった。

    I reached the point that I was able to swim.

    理解(りかい)出来(でき)るようになった。

    I reached the point that I could understand.

    料理(りょうり)ができるようになりたい。

    I want to reach a point where I can cook.

    １００(ひゃく)メートルを１０(じゅう)秒(びょう)で走(はし)れるようになった。

    I reached the point that I could run 100 meters in 10 seconds.

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ようになる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (11 in total)

  • dharlequin

    dharlequin

    Is this example correct?

    私は何か決める時に、誰かに相談するようになった。

    The grammar point says that できる should be used instead of する, which doesn’t have a potential form

  • thflx

    thflx

    Hello!
    I was quite confused as to how this grammar point is used since I haven’t learnt the potential form at this point. Not being able to find the potential form via the search (for some reason) only increased that confusion…
    Is this intentional…?
    I’ll probably go and learn the potential form first manually now, before doing this grammar point… but them being in this order seems kinda weird!

    If this order really is intentional maybe it would be a good idea to add a note that more clearly mentions the other grammar point so one can at least have a quick look at it, since it’s required for this.

  • butfirstcharging

    butfirstcharging

    To answer some of the questions I saw above here:

    1. The structure ようになる is for expressing a change. It doesn’t have to be a potential form. For example you can say 朝早く起きるようになりました。Of course you can use it with potential form, e.g. 日本語が話せるようになりました。
      For the negative form, the correct structure is なくなる rather than ないようになる.
      ✕ 小さい字が読めないようになりました。
      √ 小さい字が読めなくなりました。
    2. There’s another grammer [Volitional verb]+ ように. It’s for expressing intentions/purposes. Volition in this context is the ability of the agent to control the action. Volitional verb includes potential forms, and other verbs like 見える、聞こえる、わかる、治る、入れる…

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