Posted inN4 Grammar

Mastering ことになります (Koto ni Narimasu) – Expressing Decisions and Outcomes in Japanese

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

It has been decided that…; It turns out that…; The result is that…

🎯 Primary Function

To express a decision, outcome, or situation that has been decided or is the natural result of circumstances, rules, or someone else’s actions, often without the speaker’s direct will or involvement.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Dictionary form / ない form / た form) + ことになります Verb (Dictionary form / ない form / た form) + ことになる (Plain form) Noun + という + ことになります (Less common, often implies “it means that…”)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Very common in formal announcements, explanations of rules, schedules, and official outcomes.

😊 Informal Situations

Used, but slightly less frequently than in formal contexts. Often plain form “ことになる”.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently used in formal documents, news articles, reports, and official communications.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Common in daily conversation, especially when talking about schedules, plans made by others, or unavoidable situations.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing scheduled events or plans decided by others.
Used to state a future event that is already decided, like a meeting time or a trip.
Example: 来週、大阪へ出張することになりました。 (Raishū, Ōsaka e shucchō suru koto ni narimashita.) – I will be going on a business trip to Osaka next week. (It has been decided/arranged).
Explaining rules, regulations, or unavoidable obligations.
Used to state what must or will happen according to rules or circumstances.
Example: 会議中は携帯電話の電源を切ることになっています。 (Kaigi-chū wa keitai denwa no den’gen o kiru koto ni natte imasu.) – You must turn off your mobile phone during the meeting. (It is decided by the rule).
Describing an outcome or result that has occurred.
Used to explain how something turned out, often unexpectedly or as a consequence of previous events.
Example: 一生懸命勉強したので、試験に合格することができました。しかし、大学に入学することはできませんでした。 (Isshōkenmei benkyō shita no de, shiken ni gōkaku suru koto ga dekimashita. Shikashi, daigaku ni nyūgaku suru koto wa dekimasen deshita.) – I studied hard and was able to pass the exam. However, I was unable to enter university. (It turned out that I couldn’t enter).
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Frequency
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Difficulty
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Example Sentences
来月から新しいプロジェクトを担当することになりました。
From next month, I will be in charge of a new project. (It has been decided).
ここでは、写真を撮ることはできません。
Taking pictures is not allowed here. (According to the rules/It is decided that…).
道が混んでいたので、約束の時間に遅れることになりました。
Because the road was crowded, I ended up being late for the appointment. (That was the unavoidable outcome).
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Expresses an external decision or outcome.
Unlike ~ことにする (koto ni suru), which expresses the speaker’s own decision, ~ことになります (koto ni narimasu) expresses a decision, rule, or result that is determined by external factors, other people, or circumstances.
Example: 私が自分で留学することにしました。(Watashi ga jibun de ryūgaku suru koto ni shimashita.) – I decided to study abroad myself. (Speaker’s decision) 会社の方針で、来年海外で働くことになりました。(Kaisha no hōshin de, rainen kaigai de hataraku koto ni narimashita.) – Due to company policy, I will be working overseas next year. (Decision by external factor – company policy)
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⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing ことになります (koto ni narimasu) with ことにする (koto ni suru).
✅ Use ことになります for external decisions/outcomes and ことにする for your own decisions.
~ことになります indicates a decision or outcome resulting from external factors, while ~ことにする indicates the speaker’s own decision or resolution.
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Generally polite, especially in the ~ます form (~ことになります). The plain form (~ことになる) is more casual.
Social Situations: Widely used in various social contexts, from official announcements to explaining unavoidable personal circumstances.
Regional Variations: Usage is standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ことになります (koto ni narimasu) vs. ことにする (koto ni suru)
ことになります: Decision/outcome by external factors or circumstances. ことにする: Speaker’s own decision.
When to use: Use ことになります when the decision or result is not yours. Use ことにする when you made the decision yourself.
ことになります (koto ni narimasu) vs. 予定だ (yotei da) / はずだ (hazu da)
ことになります: Emphasizes the *result* or *outcome* of a decision/plan already made. 予定だ: Simply states a plan or schedule. はずだ: Expresses expectation or certainty based on evidence.
When to use: Use ことになります when stating a decided plan or unavoidable outcome. Use 予定だ just for a schedule. Use はずだ when you expect something to happen.
ことになります (koto ni narimasu) vs. ～ようになる (you ni naru)
ことになります: Expresses an outcome or decision. ～ようになる: Expresses a change in ability or state (e.g., “become able to do”).
When to use: Use ことになります for decisions/outcomes. Use ～ようになる for changes in capacity or state.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Attaches directly to the dictionary form (基本形 – kihonkei), negative form (ない形 – nai kei), and past form (た形 – ta kei) of verbs. 基本形＋ことになります ない形＋ことになります た形＋ことになります Plain form is ことになる.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced “koto ni narimasu”. The “i” in “ni” and “masu” is often devoiced (silent or very quiet) in casual speech, sounding closer to “koto n narimasu” or “koto ni narimas”.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of “なります” (narimasu) as “becomes”. So, “verb + ことになります” is like “it becomes the matter of [verb]” or “it turns out to be [verb]-ing”. Connect it to something happening or being decided outside of your direct control.

Practice Exercises
会議で何について話すことになりましたか？
発表についてです。
食事についてです。
今日の天気についてです。
旅行についてです。
この部屋では、たばこを＿＿ことはできません。
吸う
吸った
吸わない
吸うことになった
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