Master JLPT N4 Grammar: ようになる (You ni naru) – Expressing Change and Ability

Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

To come to be able to do something, to come to do something (as a habit), to come to be in a certain state.

🎯 Primary Function

Indicates a change in state, ability, or habit that occurs gradually over time as a result of practice, effort, or external factors.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb Plain Form (dictionary form, nai form, ta form) + ようになる Verb Potential Plain Form + ようになる (specifically for acquired ability)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts, especially when describing changes over time (e.g., in reports, speeches).

😊 Informal Situations

Very commonly used in everyday conversation.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently used in written texts, including articles, stories, and formal documents.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in spoken Japanese to describe personal changes, habits, or acquired abilities.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing acquired ability
Used with the potential form of a verb to indicate that someone has gained the ability to do something through effort or practice.
Example: 日本語を3年勉強して、新聞が読めるようになりました。(I studied Japanese for 3 years, and I’ve become able to read newspapers.)
Expressing a change in habit or custom
Used with the plain form of a verb (dictionary form) to indicate that a new habit has been formed or a past habit has changed.
Example: 健康のために、毎朝ジョギングするようになりました。(For my health, I’ve started jogging every morning.)
Expressing a natural or gradual change in state
Can be used to describe a change in state or condition that happens gradually, often with non-volitional verbs or resulting states. Less common with volitional verbs unless describing a situation where one “comes to” do something due to circumstances.
Example: パソコンを毎日使うようになって、目が疲れやすくなりました。(Since I started using the computer every day, my eyes have become easily tired.)
📊
Frequency
Very High. Essential for expressing changes over time.
🎚️
Difficulty
N4
Example Sentences
日本語を3年勉強して、新聞が読めるようになりました。
I studied Japanese for 3 years, and I’ve become able to read newspapers.
健康のために、毎朝ジョギングするようになりました。
For my health, I’ve started jogging every morning.
前は魚が嫌いでしたが、今は食べられるようになりました。
Before, I disliked fish, but now I’ve become able to eat it.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on Gradual Change
「ようになる」 implies a process or change that happens over a period of time, leading to a new state, ability, or habit. It is not typically used for sudden, instantaneous changes.
Example: ❌ 昨日から泳げるようになりました。(Incorrect for sudden ability gain) ⭕ 毎日練習したので、泳げるようになりました。(Correct – implies practice over time)
Potential Form for Ability
When expressing that you “became able” to do something, you MUST use the potential form of the verb before 「ようになる」.
Example: ❌ 日本語が話すようになりました。(Incorrect) ⭕ 日本語が話せるようになりました。(Correct)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using plain form instead of potential form for acquired ability.
✅ Use the potential form before 「ようになる」 when expressing “becoming able to”.
「話せるようになりました」 (became able to speak) is correct, not 「話すようになりました」 (came to speak/started speaking, which implies habit, not necessarily ability gained).
❌ Using 「~ことができるようになる」.
✅ Simply use 「~ことができる」 to state present ability, or 「~ようになる」 with the potential form to state acquired ability.
「自転車に乗ることができるようになりました」 is redundant. Just use 「自転車に乗れるようになりました」.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. Can be used in both polite and casual speech, depending on the politeness level of the final 「なる」 (なりました vs. なった).
Social Situations: Widely applicable in various social situations to describe personal progress, lifestyle changes, or external changes.
Regional Variations: Standard grammar pattern, no significant regional variations in structure.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~ようになる vs. ~ことができる
「~ようになる」 emphasizes the *process* of gaining ability or the *result* of becoming able to do something. 「~ことができる」 simply states the *present ability* without focusing on how it was acquired.
When to use: Use 「~ようになる」 when you want to talk about *becoming* able to do something. Use 「~ことができる」 when you just want to say you *can* do something.
~ようになる vs. ~てくる
Both can indicate a change towards the speaker or present state. 「~てくる」 often describes a change that started in the past and continues to the present, or a change that becomes more apparent. 「~ようになる」 more strongly focuses on the *result* of a change, specifically a new ability, habit, or stable state.
When to use: Use 「~ようになる」 for clear shifts in ability, habit, or resulting state. Use 「~てくる」 for changes that are ongoing, becoming more noticeable, or trends.
~ようにする vs. ~ようになる
「~ようにする」 means “to make an effort to do something” or “to try to make sure that…”. It expresses volition or conscious effort. 「~ようになる」 expresses that something *comes to be* or *becomes* a certain way, often as a result of effort, time, or external factors, but not necessarily requiring ongoing conscious effort in the same way as 「~ようにする」.
When to use: Use 「~ようにする」 when talking about *making an effort* to establish a habit or achieve a state. Use 「~ようになる」 when talking about the *result* of that effort or other factors – the state/habit/ability that has been *acquired*.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Attaches to the plain form of verbs (dictionary form, ない form, た form, potential form). It is not used directly with nouns or adjectives; for those, 「~になる」 and 「~くなる」 are used.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced “you-ni-na-ru”. ように (you ni) acts like an adverbial phrase modifying なる (naru – to become).

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「ように」 meaning “in such a way that” or “so that”, and 「なる」 meaning “to become”. The pattern indicates “to become in such a way that the verb happens/is possible”.

Practice Exercises
日本語を毎日勉強したので、難しい本も______。
読めます
読むようになりました
読めるようになりました
読むことができました
健康のために、エレベーターを使わないで、階段を______。
使うようになりました
使います
使われるようになりました
使うことができました
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