to reach the point that; to turn into (ようになる) – Japanese Grammar ようになる (you ni naru)

Q: What JLPT level is ようになる?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use ようになる in a sentence?

Attach ようになる to the appropriate verb or noun form. To reach the point that; to turn into

Q: Is ようになる formal or casual Japanese?

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

ようになる

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

you ni naru

to reach the point that; to turn into

たら tara ようと思う you to omou はずだ hazu da 急に kyuu ni らしい rashii てくる te kuru 場合は baai wa ことができる koto ga dekiru のに noni させられる saserareru より yori おきに oki ni 出す dasu でございます de gozaimasu だけで dake de かな kana みたいだ mitai da な na し shi かもしれない kamo shirenai たら tara ようと思う you to omou はずだ hazu da 急に kyuu ni らしい rashii てくる te kuru 場合は baai wa ことができる koto ga dekiru のに noni させられる saserareru より yori おきに oki ni 出す dasu でございます de gozaimasu だけで dake de かな kana みたいだ mitai da な na し shi かもしれない kamo shirenai

🃏 Flashcard

ようになる

you ni naru

Tap to reveal usage

to reach the point that; to turn into

Tap to test your recall · +10 XP

📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading you ni naru

Post ID 50807

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to reach the point that; to turn into

📖 How to use it

Describes a change or transition to a new state or habit, often after effort or time.

Attaches to Attach to the dictionary (plain non-past) form of a verb. For nouns and な-adjectives, use ～のようになる (with の) or ～になる respectively, but for verbs, it's verb-dictionary form + ようになる.

The pattern ようになる expresses a change in situation or behavior: something has come to be, or someone has reached the point where they do something. It often implies a gradual process or a transition from one state to another. For example, if you study Japanese, you might reach the point where you can read newspapers: that is 新聞が読めるようになる.

This pattern is used with verbs in their dictionary form, and it can apply to both positive and negative changes. It is commonly used with potential verbs (like できる, 見える, 話せる) to talk about abilities that develop over time, but it can also be used with other verbs to describe changes in habits or routines. For instance, 毎朝走るようになる means you have started running every morning.

Note that ようになる is about a change that has already taken place or will take place. When talking about a change that happened in the past, use ようになった. When talking about a future change, you can use ようになる or ようになるでしょう. The difference from ことになる is that ことになる means a decision or arrangement is made, while ようになる is about a natural or gradual change.

毎日練習すれば、日本語が上手に話せるようになります。

Mainichi renshuu sureba, nihongo ga jouzu ni hanaseru you ni narimasu.

If you practice every day, you'll reach the point where you can speak Japanese well.

最近、野菜を食べるようになりました。

Saikin, yasai wo taberu you ni narimashita.

Recently, I've come to eat vegetables.

彼は一人で旅行に行けるようになった。

Kare wa hitori de ryokou ni ikeru you ni natta.

He has reached the point where he can travel alone.

Not ことになることになる indicates a decision, rule, or arrangement made by someone (often external), while ようになる is about a natural or personal change in state or habit. For example, 毎日走ることになる means 'it has been decided that I will run every day', but 毎日走るようになる means 'I have come to run every day (by my own choice or habit).'

Register This pattern is neutral and used in both speaking and writing, though it is slightly more common in written or formal contexts when describing changes.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ようになる

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ようになる 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 ようになる. 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 N4 Patterns

to try to; to make sure that

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ようになる mean? ▼

To reach the point that; to turn into

What JLPT level is ようになる? ▼

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 ようになる in a sentence? ▼

Attach ようになる (you 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 ようになる formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ようになる is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember ようになる 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.