It has been decided that..; it turns out ~ (ことになる) – Japanese Grammar ことになる (koto ni naru)

Q: What JLPT level is ことになる?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use ことになる in a sentence?

Attach ことになる to the appropriate verb or noun form. It has been decided that..; it turns out ~

Q: Is ことになる formal or casual Japanese?

ことになる can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

ことになる

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

koto ni naru

It has been decided that..; it turns out ~

らしい rashii てくれる te kureru そうだ sou da [1] ていた te ita より yori までに made ni 受身形 ukemi kei あまり～ない amari~nai なかなか～ない nakanaka~nai と to 終わる owaru て / で te / de ことにする koto ni suru 出す dasu にみえる ni mieru し shi ということ to iu koto な na 始める hajimeru そうだ sou da [2] らしい rashii てくれる te kureru そうだ sou da [1] ていた te ita より yori までに made ni 受身形 ukemi kei あまり～ない amari~nai なかなか～ない nakanaka~nai と to 終わる owaru て / で te / de ことにする koto ni suru 出す dasu にみえる ni mieru し shi ということ to iu koto な na 始める hajimeru そうだ sou da [2]

🃏 Flashcard

ことになる

koto ni naru

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It has been decided that..; it turns out ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading koto ni naru

Post ID 50718

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

It has been decided that..; it turns out ~

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something has been decided or arranged by others, or that a situation has turned out a certain way.

Attaches to Attach to the dictionary (plain non-past) form of a verb: 辞書形 + ことになる. For verbs in past tense, use plain past + ことになる (e.g., 行ったことになる) to mean 'it turns out that (one) did'. For nouns and な-adjectives, use だ→である? Actually, ことになる attaches to the plain form of verbs only. For nouns/adjectives, use ということになる.

ことになる is used when a decision is made not by your own will but by an external force like a company, school, or circumstance. It often translates to 'it has been decided that' or 'it turns out that'. The focus is on the result or arrangement, not on who decided. For example, if your boss tells you that you will transfer to Osaka, you say 大阪に転勤することになりました (it has been decided that I will transfer to Osaka). This pattern is common in news, announcements, and explanations of situations. Note that the past form ことになった is very common when reporting a decision that has already been made. In contrast, ことにする (with する) means you decide yourself, so it's a personal decision. Use ことになる when someone else decides or when it's a natural outcome.

来月から日本で働くことになりました。

Raigetsu kara Nihon de hataraku koto ni narimashita.

It has been decided that I will work in Japan from next month.

台風のために、明日の試合は中止することになった。

Taifū no tame ni, ashita no shiai wa chūshi suru koto ni natta.

It turned out that tomorrow's game will be canceled because of the typhoon.

たくさん勉強したので、いい点数を取れることになるだろう。

Takusan benkyō shita node, ii tensu o toreru koto ni naru darō.

Because I studied a lot, it will probably turn out that I can get a good score.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ことになる

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

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

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Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ことになる. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

⏰

Spaced Review

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

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ことになる mean? ▼

It has been decided that..; it turns out ~

What JLPT level is ことになる? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use ことになる in a sentence? ▼

Attach ことになる (koto ni naru) 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 ことになる formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ことになる 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.