to make something ~ (にする) – Japanese Grammar にする (ni suru)

Q: What JLPT level is にする?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use にする in a sentence?

Attach にする to the appropriate verb or noun form. To make something ~

Q: Is にする formal or casual Japanese?

にする can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

にする

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

ni suru

to make something ~

がる・がっている garu; gatteiru だけで dake de ようになる you ni naru やっと yatto 場合は baai wa 意向形 ikou kei でございます de gozaimasu くする ku suru あまり～ない amari~nai ところ tokoro たら tara はずがない hazu ga nai それでも sore demo てほしい te hoshii お～になる o~ni naru させてください sasete kudasai 終わる owaru 後で ato de ということ to iu koto たばかり ta bakari がる・がっている garu; gatteiru だけで dake de ようになる you ni naru やっと yatto 場合は baai wa 意向形 ikou kei でございます de gozaimasu くする ku suru あまり～ない amari~nai ところ tokoro たら tara はずがない hazu ga nai それでも sore demo てほしい te hoshii お～になる o~ni naru させてください sasete kudasai 終わる owaru 後で ato de ということ to iu koto たばかり ta bakari

🃏 Flashcard

にする

ni suru

Tap to reveal usage

to make something ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading ni suru

Post ID 50740

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to make something ~

📖 How to use it

Marks the object that results from a change, meaning 'to make something ~'.

Attaches to Attach to a noun or な-adjective stem directly: Xにする. For い-adjectives, replace the final い with くしてからにする (e.g., 安くしてからにする) — but this pattern is less common at N4; focus on nouns and な-adjectives.

This pattern expresses making something into a certain state or thing. It is transitive: someone acts on an object to change it. For example, when you turn a room into a study, you say 部屋を書斎にする. The thing being changed is marked with を, and the result is marked with に. This is a very productive pattern in everyday speech.

Note: にする also means 'to decide on' when you choose one option among many, as in コーヒーにする ('I'll have coffee'). That meaning is different and will be covered elsewhere. Here, we focus on the change-of-state meaning, where you actively make something different.

With nouns, attach に directly. With な-adjectives, use the stem: きれいにする. With い-adjectives, the pattern is less straightforward; you often use くする (e.g., 安くする), but that is a separate pattern. At N4, you will most often see にする with nouns and な-adjectives.

部屋をきれいにする。

Heya o kirei ni suru.

I make the room clean.

この写真をパソコンの壁紙にする。

Kono shashin o pasokon no kabegami ni suru.

I make this photo my computer wallpaper.

会議を明日にする。

Kaigi o ashita ni suru.

I set the meeting for tomorrow. (Note: This can also mean 'decide on tomorrow' — but the meaning here is 'make it tomorrow'.)

Not になるになる is intransitive: the subject changes by itself, e.g., 部屋がきれいになる (the room becomes clean). にする implies someone does the changing: 部屋をきれいにする (I make the room clean). The particle (が vs を) is a key clue.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

にする

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat にする three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

🃏

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 にする. 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.

🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns

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にみえる

to look; to seem; to appear

にくい

difficult to do

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern にする mean? ▼

To make something ~

What JLPT level is にする? ▼

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 にする in a sentence? ▼

Attach にする (ni suru) 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 にする formal or casual Japanese? ▼

にする is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember にする 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.