成ります

The Japanese verb 成ります (なります - Narimasu) is one of the most fundamental and versatile words in the Japanese language, primarily translated as 'to become,' 'to get to be,' or 'to turn into.' At its core, it signifies a change of state, a transition from one condition to another, or the realization of a specific result. Unlike the English verb 'to become,' which often feels formal, narimasu is used in almost every facet of daily life, from describing the weather getting colder to expressing one's career aspirations. It is the intransitive counterpart to the transitive verb します (shimasu - to do/make). While shimasu implies an agent intentionally making a change, narimasu often emphasizes the natural progression or the outcome of a situation, sometimes downplaying the role of the person who caused it.

Core Meaning

To transition from state A to state B, emphasizing the result of the change.

In Japanese culture, there is a linguistic preference for 'becoming' over 'doing.' This reflects a worldview that values harmony and the natural flow of events. For example, instead of saying 'I decided to go,' a Japanese speaker might say 'It has become that I am going' (行くことになりました), which sounds more polite and less assertive. This nuance is crucial for learners to grasp as they move from basic to intermediate levels. The verb is also ubiquitous in service industry settings. When a waiter brings you your total, they will say '1000 yen ni narimasu,' literally meaning 'it becomes 1000 yen,' which functions as a polite way of stating the price.

Furthermore, narimasu is used to indicate the time or age. If you turn 20, you use narimasu. If it becomes 3 o'clock, you use narimasu. It covers physical changes (getting tall), emotional changes (becoming happy), and social changes (getting married). The kanji 成 itself carries the meaning of 'accomplish,' 'form,' or 'grow,' which provides a visual clue to its meaning of reaching a new stage of existence. In polite speech, it forms the basis of the honorific 'O + verb stem + ni narimasu' pattern, which is essential for business Japanese.

Grammatical Connection

Noun + に + なります
Na-Adj + に + なります
I-Adj (drop い) + く + なります

In summary, narimasu is the linguistic glue that describes the ever-changing world around us. Whether you are talking about the seasons, your personal growth, or the total on a receipt, this verb is your primary tool for expressing transformation and results. Understanding its nuances—especially the distinction between natural change and intentional action—is a major step toward sounding natural in Japanese. It is not just about 'becoming' a noun; it is about the transition of the entire state of being.

Using 成ります (なります) correctly requires a solid understanding of Japanese particles and adjective conjugations. The verb is intransitive, meaning it does not take a direct object (you don't 'become something' with the particle wo). Instead, the target state is marked by the particle ni (に) for nouns and na-adjectives, or by a specialized adverbial form for i-adjectives. This structure is consistent across all levels of Japanese, but the complexity of the nouns and adjectives used will increase as you progress.

With Nouns

The pattern is [Noun] + に + なります. Example: 先生になります (Sensei ni narimasu - I will become a teacher). This is the most straightforward usage.

When dealing with i-adjectives, the final i (い) is replaced with ku (く). This effectively turns the adjective into an adverb that describes the manner of 'becoming.' For example, samui (cold) becomes samuku narimasu (becomes cold). This is a very common point of confusion for English speakers who want to say 'samui ni narimasu,' which is grammatically incorrect. Mastering the ~ku narimasu transition is essential for describing changes in temperature, price, size, and speed.

For na-adjectives, the rule is the same as for nouns: add ni (に). For example, shizuka (quiet) becomes shizuka ni narimasu (becomes quiet). This uniformity between nouns and na-adjectives makes the grammar relatively predictable once you identify the type of word you are using. Another advanced usage involves the potential form naru combined with other verbs, such as you ni naru (to reach the point where one can do something). This describes a change in ability or habit over time.

One of the most important idiomatic uses of narimasu is the phrase koto ni narimasu. This is used to express that a decision has been made by an external force or a group, rather than a personal 'I decided.' For instance, kekkon suru koto ni narimashita means 'It has been decided that we are getting married.' This sounds much more humble and socially appropriate in Japanese culture than the direct 'I decided to get married.' It shifts the focus from individual agency to the resulting state of affairs.

With Adjectives

I-Adj: 暑い → 暑くなります (Atsui -> Atsuku narimasu)
Na-Adj: 静か → 静かになります (Shizuka -> Shizuka ni narimasu)

Finally, narimasu is used in the polite honorific form o-verb-ni narimasu. For example, o-yomi ni narimasu (to read - honorific). This is a completely different grammatical function but uses the same root verb to elevate the status of the person being spoken to. As a learner, you will first master the basic 'become' meaning, then the adjective transitions, and finally these complex social and honorific structures. Each step allows you to describe more nuanced changes in the world and your relationship to others.

The word 成ります (なります) is ubiquitous in Japan, appearing in almost every social interaction, from the most casual to the most formal. One of the first places a visitor will hear it is at a restaurant or convenience store. When a clerk calculates your change or presents the bill, they will say '500-en ni narimasu' (It will be 500 yen). While technically meaning 'it becomes 500 yen,' in this context, it is the standard, polite way to state a total. This usage is so common that it is often taught as a set phrase for survival Japanese.

In the workplace, narimasu is a staple of professional communication. You will hear it in meetings when discussing project timelines: 'Raigetsu kansei ni narimasu' (It will be completed next month). It is also used when introducing oneself or one's role: 'Tantousha ni narimashita Tanaka desu' (I am Tanaka, who has become the person in charge). The verb helps to smooth over transitions and frame changes as objective facts rather than personal impositions, which is a key component of Japanese business etiquette.

Weather reports are another frequent source of narimasu. Meteorologists constantly use it to describe shifting conditions: 'Gogo kara ame ni narimasu' (It will become rain from the afternoon) or 'Ashita wa samuku narimasu' (Tomorrow will get cold). Because the weather is a natural phenomenon outside of human control, narimasu is the perfect verb to describe these inevitable changes. Similarly, in news broadcasts, you will hear it used to describe economic shifts, such as prices rising or the value of the yen changing.

In daily conversation among friends, the plain form naru (なる) is used. You might hear someone say 'Mou nijuu-sai ni natta' (I've already turned 20) or 'Kore, suki ni natta' (I've come to like this). It is used to track personal growth and changing tastes. In anime and drama, characters often use it to express resolve: 'Tsuyoku naru!' (I will become strong!). This reflects the aspirational side of the verb, where 'becoming' is a goal to be achieved through effort and time.

Common Scenarios

1. Retail: Stating prices.
2. Business: Greetings and project updates.
3. Weather: Describing environmental changes.
4. Personal: Talking about age, hobbies, and goals.

Finally, you will hear narimasu in very formal settings like weddings or graduation ceremonies. The phrase 'O-shiawase ni' (May you become happy) is a standard well-wish. In these contexts, the verb takes on a weightier, more auspicious tone. Whether it's the casual 'I'm hungry' (onaka ga suita - literally 'stomach became empty') or a formal declaration of a new policy, narimasu is the heartbeat of Japanese situational awareness.

For English speakers, the most frequent mistake when using 成ります (なります) is choosing the wrong particle or conjugation for the preceding word. Because English uses 'become' with both nouns and adjectives without changing the structure (e.g., 'become a doctor,' 'become happy'), learners often try to apply a single rule in Japanese. The most common error is using the particle ni (に) with i-adjectives. For example, saying 'samui ni narimasu' instead of the correct 'samuku narimasu'. This is a fundamental error that immediately marks a speaker as a beginner.

The 'Ni' vs 'Ku' Trap

Wrong: 暑いに成ります (Atsui ni narimasu)
Right: 暑く成ります (Atsuku narimasu)

Another common pitfall is confusing narimasu with shimasu (to do/make). As mentioned earlier, narimasu is intransitive and focuses on the result, while shimasu is transitive and focuses on the action. If you say 'Heya o kirei ni narimashita,' you are mixing the two. Since narimasu doesn't take an object, you cannot use the particle wo (を). You must say 'Heya ga kirei ni narimashita' (The room became clean) or 'Heya o kirei ni shimashita' (I made the room clean). Understanding this 'self-change' vs. 'other-change' distinction is vital.

Learners also struggle with the 'Bait-and-Switch' of the service industry. In textbooks, narimasu means 'to become.' So, when a waiter says 'Coffee ni narimasu,' a literal-minded student might think, 'Wait, is this water going to turn into coffee?' or 'Is this person becoming a coffee?' In reality, this is just a polite 'Here is your coffee' or 'This is coffee.' While some Japanese linguistic purists actually dislike this 'Bait-and-Switch' usage (calling it baito-keigo or 'part-timer honorifics'), it is so common that you must learn to accept it without over-analyzing the 'becoming' aspect.

Lastly, there is the mistake of using narimasu when a simple desu (to be) is more appropriate. While narimasu implies a change, desu describes a current state. If you are already a teacher, you say 'Sensei desu.' If you are in the process of qualifying or describing your future, you say 'Sensei ni narimasu.' Using narimasu for a static, unchanging fact can sound confusing. Similarly, avoid overusing the kanji 成 in casual texts; most Japanese people write narimasu in hiragana (なります) unless they want to look particularly formal or literary.

Summary of Errors

1. I-Adj + ni (Wrong) vs I-Adj + ku (Right).
2. Using 'wo' with narimasu (Wrong).
3. Confusing 'narimasu' (result) with 'shimasu' (action).
4. Using 'narimasu' for current states instead of 'desu'.

While 成ります (なります) is the most common way to express change, several other verbs and expressions can be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Understanding these alternatives will help you move from basic fluency to a more sophisticated level of Japanese. The most direct synonym for 'change' is 変わる (kawaru). While narimasu focuses on the end result (what something became), kawaru focuses on the process of transformation or the fact that something is no longer the same.

Narimasu vs. Kawaru

Narimasu: Focuses on the new state (e.g., became a doctor).
Kawaru: Focuses on the difference from the past (e.g., the signal changed).

Another alternative is 変化する (henka suru), which is a more formal, academic, or technical way to say 'to change' or 'to undergo transformation.' You will see this in textbooks, scientific reports, or news articles. For example, 'Kion ga henka suru' (The temperature changes). While narimasu is natural for daily talk, henka suru is better for describing trends or data. There is also 化ける (bakeru), which implies a more drastic or even magical transformation, like a fox turning into a human in Japanese folklore, or a person putting on heavy makeup to look completely different.

In the context of decisions, 決定する (kettei suru) or 決まる (kimaru) are alternatives to koto ni naru. Kimaru is the intransitive 'to be decided,' which is very close to koto ni naru, but koto ni naru often sounds more indirect and polite. If you want to emphasize that a specific person made the decision, you would use kimeru (to decide). Choosing between kimaru and koto ni naru is often a matter of social distance and the level of formality required by the situation.

For describing the 'total' or 'result' in a more formal way, especially in writing, you might use 達する (tassuru - to reach) or 及ぶ (oyobu - to reach/extend to). For example, 'The number of participants reached 100' would use tassuru. While narimasu could be used (100-nin ni narimashita), tassuru sounds more professional. Lastly, in the sense of 'to be useful' or 'to serve as,' there is the phrase yaku ni tatsu, which literally means 'to stand in use,' serving a similar functional role to some uses of narimasu.

Comparison Table

- なります: General 'become' (Daily)
- 変わる: Change/Shift (Process)
- 変化する: Transformation (Formal)
- 決まる: To be decided (Result)
- 化ける: Drastic change (Colloquial/Literal)

By learning these distinctions, you can choose the word that perfectly fits your context. Narimasu is your 'Swiss Army knife' for change, but words like kawaru and henka suru provide the precision needed for advanced communication. Always consider whether you are focusing on the result, the process, or the social implication of the change when selecting your verb.