to be expected to; it has been decided~ (ことになっている) – Japanese Grammar ことになっている (koto ni natteiru)

Q: What JLPT level is ことになっている?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use ことになっている in a sentence?

Attach ことになっている to the appropriate verb or noun form. To be expected to; it has been decided~

Q: Is ことになっている formal or casual Japanese?

ことになっている can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

ことになっている

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

koto ni natteiru

to be expected to; it has been decided~

こそ koso 上で ue de とすれば to sureba ことは～が koto wa~ga ために tame ni つもりだった tsumori datta んだって ndatte は～で有名 wa~de yuumei ついでに tsuide ni それとも soretomo さえ sae 例えば tatoeba ている場合じゃない teiru baai janai ばいい ba ii のでしょうか no deshou ka 中 chuu / juu 気味 gimi ばかりでなく bakari denaku かける kakeru どんなに～ても donna ni~temo こそ koso 上で ue de とすれば to sureba ことは～が koto wa~ga ために tame ni つもりだった tsumori datta んだって ndatte は～で有名 wa~de yuumei ついでに tsuide ni それとも soretomo さえ sae 例えば tatoeba ている場合じゃない teiru baai janai ばいい ba ii のでしょうか no deshou ka 中 chuu / juu 気味 gimi ばかりでなく bakari denaku かける kakeru どんなに～ても donna ni~temo

🃏 Flashcard

ことになっている

koto ni natteiru

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to be expected to; it has been decided~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N3

Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Reading koto ni natteiru

Post ID 50862

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to be expected to; it has been decided~

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something has been decided, arranged, or is understood as a rule or expectation.

Attaches to Attach to the plain form of a verb (dictionary form for non-past, past form for past). For nouns and な-adjectives, use ことになっている after the noun or adjective stem + な (e.g., 休みなことになっている).

This pattern means 'it has been decided that ~' or 'it is expected that ~'. It states a rule, a social convention, a schedule, or an arrangement that someone else has made, and the speaker is just reporting it. The nuance is that the decision is not yours to change, or it is general knowledge.

Use the plain present form for things that are currently true or will happen, and the past form for things that were decided or expected in the past. When the main clause is in the past (e.g., ことになっていた), it often means 'was supposed to' but didn't happen.

Note: Do not confuse with ことにする, which means 'to decide oneself'. ことになっている is for decisions made by others or by society.

来週、東京に出張することになっている。

Raishuu, Toukyou ni shucchou suru koto ni natte iru.

I'm scheduled to go on a business trip to Tokyo next week.

この会社では、毎朝ミーティングをすることになっている。

Kono kaisha de wa, maiasa miitingu o suru koto ni natte iru.

It's a rule in this company to have a meeting every morning.

日本では、家に入る前に靴を脱ぐことになっている。

Nihon de wa, ie ni hairu mae ni kutsu o nugu koto ni natte iru.

In Japan, it's customary to take off your shoes before entering a house.

Not ことにすることにする means 'to decide to do something' and is a personal decision. ことになっている is about rules, schedules, or decisions made by others. For example, if you decide to study abroad, you say '留学することにした'. But if your company assigns you, you say '留学することになっている'.

Register This pattern is neutral and common in both spoken and written Japanese, though it is slightly more formal in writing.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ことになっている

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ことになっている three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ことになっている. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns

there is no need to; no possibility that~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ことになっている mean? ▼

To be expected to; it has been decided~

What JLPT level is ことになっている? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use ことになっている in a sentence? ▼

Attach ことになっている (koto ni natteiru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is ことになっている formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ことになっている is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember ことになっている long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.