〜ようになる
ようになる
Come to (do) / become able to
Expresses a gradual change in state or ability — something that was not possible or did not happen before becomes possible, or starts happening, over time.
練習して、上手に泳げるようになりました。
れんしゅうして、じょうずにおよげるようになりました。
After practicing, I became able to swim well.
Structure
Verb dictionary form / potential form + ようになる (change to being able to / starting to do something); the negative change 'stop being able to / stop doing' normally uses なくなる instead (dictionary form → ない-form, drop い, + くなる).
Examples
8
最近、野菜を食べるようになりました。
さいきん、やさいをたべるようになりました。
Recently, I've come to eat vegetables.
毎日練習すれば、きっと話せるようになりますよ。
まいにちれんしゅうすれば、きっとはなせるようになりますよ。
If you practice every day, you'll definitely become able to speak.
引っ越してから、あまり友達と会わなくなりました。
ひっこしてから、あまりともだちとあわなくなりました。
Since I moved, I've stopped seeing my friends much.
いつから漢字が読めるようになりましたか。
いつからかんじがよめるようになりましたか。
Since when did you become able to read kanji?
弟は一人で電車に乗れるようになった。
おとうとはひとりででんしゃにのれるようになった。
My little brother has become able to ride the train by himself.
歳を取って、辛い物が食べられなくなった。
としをとって、からいものがたべられなくなった。
As I got older, I became unable to eat spicy food.
どうして最近、電話に出てくれなくなったの?
どうしてさいきん、でんわにでてくれなくなったの?
Why have you stopped answering my calls lately?
Common mistakes
3
- Confusing 〜ようになる (a gradual change in habit or ability) with 〜ことになる (a decision or arrangement that came about, often through circumstances or someone else's choice) — the two sound similar but describe very different kinds of change.
- Using the plain dictionary form when you specifically mean a newly acquired ability, which is ambiguous with simply starting a habit — for a clear 'became able to' meaning, use the potential form before ようになる (泳げるようになりました 'became able to swim' vs. 泳ぐようになりました 'started swimming [as a habit]').
- Not knowing なくなる — to say that a habit or ability stopped, the standard form taught at N4 is なくなる (食べなくなりました, 'I stopped eating it'). 食べないようになりました is also grammatical but much less common, so learn なくなる first; mixed forms such as 食べなくようになりました are ungrammatical.
How it's different from similar grammar
2
- 〜ようにする (make an effort to)
- 〜ようにする expresses a deliberate effort the subject makes to bring about a result, an intentional habit the speaker is trying to maintain: 野菜を食べるようにしています (I make an effort to eat vegetables / I make it a habit to eat vegetables). 〜ようになる describes the resulting change itself, without focusing on whether it was deliberate: 野菜を食べるようになりました (I've come to eat vegetables [the change has already happened]).
- 〜ことになる (it has been decided that / it turns out that)
- 〜ことになる states that something has been decided or arranged, often by circumstances or someone else, not necessarily the speaker's own gradual change: 来月、大阪で働くことになりました (It's been decided that I'll work in Osaka next month). 〜ようになる describes a personal, gradual change in ability or habit: 大阪弁が話せるようになりました (I've become able to speak the Osaka dialect).
How this shows up on the JLPT
N4 grammar and reading sections often test whether you use the potential form (not the plain dictionary form) before ようになる when the sentence specifically means 'became able to,' and also test recognizing the negative counterpart なくなる as meaning 'stopped doing/being able to,' contrasting it with 〜ようにする and 〜ことになる.
Quick check (3 questions)
Choose the word that correctly completes the blank: 料理教室に通って、おいしいパンが__ようになりました。(After going to cooking classes, I became able to bake delicious bread.)
りょうりきょうしつにかよって、おいしいパンが__ようになりました。
Which sentence correctly means 'I've stopped smoking' (a change from doing something to not doing it)?
Which sentence expresses an arrangement or decision (often made by someone else or by circumstances), rather than a personal, gradual change in ability or habit?
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