N5 Topics
L8: I've Decided to Become Good (at Japanese)
Expand on ways to use する and なる
I've Decided to Become Good (at Japanese)
In this Topic, we're going to learn about how to use verbs する and なる in more advanced ways. Specifically, we're going to learn about the にする pattern (used to say something is 'decided on') and the になる and くなる patterns (used to say that something 'becomes' something else).
We will also explore the relationship between する and なる further, and see how they can be thought of as two sides of the same coin, where one is active choice and the other is natural change.
Grammar in this Topic
にする
To decide on, To choose, To make something into, To view something as
にする is a structure that combines the に particle (a location/target), with the verb する. It means to 'make/decide' something in a certain way. The nuance with にする is that the speaker has direct control over the outcome. This is where the strong feeling of 'choice' comes from. The noun that comes before にする is the thing that is being decided.
In this example, although the common translation is 'to decide', it is actually much closer to the slang expression 'to do (A)' in English. This means that the literal translation is actually 'I'll do a beer', or 'I'll make it a beer'.
Sometimes the particle と is used instead of に. Although this has the same meaning, it changes the nuance slightly. When と is used, it takes away the feeling of being a direct decision. とする tends to be used in more formal situations, but this is only because と is less 'definite', so results in the phrase sounding less pushy.
If you were going to compare these two to an English equivalent, it would be similar to the difference between the following sentences.
に - I'll buy a burger. (A burger is the direct target of 'buy')
と - I'll go with a burger. (You aren't 'going' anywhere, it just sounds softer)
This grammar point may be used for more abstract nouns, and does not specifically need to be 'items'.
～になる・～くなる
To become (Adjective)
になる (with な-Adjectives), or くなる (with い-Adjectives) is an expression used in Japanese to show that something is 'becoming (A)'. It can be used with any form of なる, to highlight that something will become (non-past), is becoming (continuous), or has become (past). It can even be used with negative forms, to show that something 'will not become (A)'.
In the example with the tea getting cold, we can see how ている sometimes highlights something that exists in an ongoing state, rather than changing any further. In other words, 'the tea has gotten cold, and remains to be cold'.
Additionally, the adjective いい 'good' is an exception to the regular conjugation rules for い-Adjectives, and will conjugate as よくなる, not いくなる.
Details
なる and する are sometimes thought of as being related. Let's see why and how.
Becoming and Doing
While する is active, with a 'doer' (subject) and 'thing' being acted upon (object), なる does not have an active choice behind it, with no 'doer', only simple becoming or being. This is the difference between volition and non-volition. する implies control, choice, and action. なる implies spontaneity, flow, and natural change.
This is why にする means 'to decide on'. Volition is behind the selection. Conversely, this is why になる means 'to become', regardless of anyone's intentions.
This difference, between an active choice and a natural change, is actually a fundamental rule for how verbs work in Japanese. We will explore this more when we reach N4!
Yet Another Aspect
An important consequence of する representing 'doing' and なる representing 'becoming' is that their relationship with ‘aspect’ (whether something is ongoing or not) differs. This is particularly clear when using the ている pattern.
As する represents an action which can be continuously done, it will mean that the action is ongoing when ている is used. On the other hand, なる is a change of state. Something either has become or hasn't. As such, when なる uses ている it will mean that something has already become, and the resultant state is ongoing.
A Little Bit Tense
With the past tense (た), there is also a difference in nuance regarding outcome. For する, the past tense tells us that a volitional choice or action was completed. For なる, the past tense tells us that a natural (non-volitional) conclusion or result was reached.
Burger Time
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みき：「授業が終わるのが遅かったから、もう３時だね。お昼はハンバーガーにする？」
あや：「そうだね。美味しい店知ってるよ！」
たかや：「あそこ？」
あや：「そう！」
たかや：「ここ、ハンバーガーは美味しいけど店が古かったよね？」
あや：「そうそう。綺麗になったね！」
みき：「メニューも多いね。色々なハンバーガーがあるよ。」
たかや：「前は３つだけだったよね？」
あや：「そう！」
みき：「お腹が空いたよ〜。」
あや：「私は牛肉ハンバーガーにする。牛肉が人気があるってお母さんが言ってたの。」
みき：「私も同じのにする！」
たかや：「僕はダイエットをしているから野菜ハンバーガーにするよ。」
あや：「たかや、腕が細くなったよね！」
たかや：「そう？もっと痩せてかっこよくなるんだ！」