Expressing Change: ~ni naru and ~ku naru (Becoming)
naru to express a change in state or a transformation.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use {成|な}る to describe a change in state: 'to become' or 'to get'.
- For い-adjectives, replace the final い with く + {成|な}る. Example: {寒|さむ}くなる (get cold).
- For な-adjectives, add に + {成|な}る. Example: {静|しず}かになる (become quiet).
- For nouns, add に + {成|な}る. Example: {先生|せんせい}になる (become a teacher).
Overview
naru to describe these shifts. This grammar captures the movement from one state to another.How This Grammar Works
naru literally means 'to become' or 'to turn into.' It is a verb, so you can conjugate it easily. You can say narimashita for the past. You can say naritai for things you want to become.naru cannot stand alone with adjectives or nouns. It needs a grammatical bridge to connect them. This bridge changes depending on the word type.na-adjectives, the bridge is the particle ni. For i-adjectives, the bridge is the ending ku. Once you master these bridges, you can describe any change.
Formation Pattern
ni + naru.
isha (doctor).
ni immediately after.
naru.
isha ni naru (become a doctor).
ni + naru.
kirei (clean/beautiful).
na ending here.
ni and then the verb naru.
kirei ni naru (become clean).
i to ku + naru.
hayai (fast).
i character from the word.
ku to the end of the stem.
naru right after.
hayaku naru (become fast).
ii (good) changes to yoku naru. It never becomes iku naru. That is a common trap for everyone. Even seasoned learners trip over that one sometimes. Just think of it as the one rebel in the adjective family. It follows the rules of yoi, which is the formal version of ii.
When To Use It
kōhī ni naru (I'll have coffee). This implies your choice 'became' coffee. It also describes your feelings or physical states.naru to show that growth. Or imagine asking for directions in a city. You might say the path becomes narrow soon.
When Not To Use It
naru for actions you are actively doing. If you are cleaning a room, use kirei ni suru. Use naru only when the room becomes clean naturally.Naru focuses on the state change itself. It does not focus on who did the action. Also, avoid using it for things that are already in that state.tsumetai desu. Only use tsumetakunaru if it was hot before. It is like a 'before' and 'after' sequence.naru. Think of it like a progress bar. If the bar isn't moving, you don't need this grammar.
Common Mistakes
ni and ku is the biggest hurdle. People often say kirei ku naru instead of kirei ni naru. Remember that na-adjectives behave like nouns here. This is a very common slip-up for English speakers. Another mistake is forgetting the past tense. If the change already happened, you must use narimashita. If you say atsuku naru, you mean it will get hot. If you mean it already got hot, use atsuku narimashita. Don't let the tenses confuse your message. Also, watch out for the ii to yoku change again. It is worth repeating because it happens so often. Yes, even native speakers might give you a pass. But you want to sound like a pro, right? Consistency is key to sounding natural in Japanese.Contrast With Similar Patterns
~te kuru or ~te iku sometimes. These also describe change over time. However, ~te kuru means a change is approaching the present.Naru is much simpler and focuses only on the result. There is also the verb kawaru which means 'to change.' Kawaru is a general verb for transformation. Naru is specifically 'to become a state.' Think of kawaru as the process and naru as the outcome.Naru feels more like a direct result.Quick FAQ
Can I use naru with other verbs?
Not directly. You need the yō ni naru pattern for that.
Is ni naru polite?
It depends on the ending. Use narimasu to be polite to others.
Can I say 'I want to become'?
Yes! Change naru to naritai. Isha ni naritai means 'I want to be a doctor.'
Does it work for aging?
Absolutely. Toshi o toru is common, but ojīsan ni naru works too. Change is inevitable, after all! Even grammar can't stop us from getting older. But at least our Japanese can become better!
Formation by Word Type
| Word Type | Connector | Example Word | Resulting Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
い-Adjective
|
Drop い + く
|
{寒|さむ}い
|
{寒|さむ}くなる
|
|
な-Adjective
|
Add に
|
{元気|げんき}
|
{元気|げんき}になる
|
|
Noun
|
Add に
|
{大人|おとな}
|
{大人|おとな}になる
|
|
Negative い-Adj
|
Drop い + く
|
{良|よ}くない
|
{良|よ}くなくなる
|
Meanings
Indicates a change from one state to another, often implying a natural progression or a result of an action.
Natural Change
Describing changes in weather, age, or physical states.
“{暖|あたた}かくなりましたね。 (It has become warm, hasn't it?)”
Role/Status Change
Describing a change in profession, social status, or identity.
“{弟|おとうと}は{大学生|だいがくせい}になりました。 (My brother became a university student.)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Polite)
|
Adj/Noun + narimasu
|
{安|やす}くなります
|
|
Affirmative (Casual)
|
Adj/Noun + naru
|
{安|やす}くなる
|
|
Past (Polite)
|
Adj/Noun + narimashita
|
{安|やす}くなりました
|
|
Past (Casual)
|
Adj/Noun + natta
|
{安|やす}くなった
|
|
Negative (Polite)
|
Adj/Noun + narimasen
|
{安|やす}くなりません
|
|
Negative (Casual)
|
Adj/Noun + naranai
|
{安|やす}くならない
|
|
Te-form
|
Adj/Noun + natte
|
{安|やす}くなって...
|
Formalitätsspektrum
{寒|さむ}くなりました。 (Weather)
{寒|さむ}くなった。 (Weather)
{寒|さむ}くなったね。 (Weather)
{寒|さむ}っ！ (Weather)
The Path of Change
Weather
- {晴|は}れになる become sunny
Feelings
- {悲|かな}しくなる become sad
Naru vs Suru
Beispiele nach Niveau
{暑|あつ}くなりました。
It became hot.
二十{歳|さい}になります。
I will become 20 years old.
{日本語|にほんご}が{上手|じょうず}になりましたね。
Your Japanese has become good, hasn't it?
{夜|よる}は{静|しず}かになります。
It becomes quiet at night.
{日本|にほん}に{行|い}きたくなりました。
I have come to want to go to Japan.
{最近|さいきん}、{物価|ぶっか}が{高|たか}くなっています。
Recently, prices have been getting higher.
{法律|ほうりつ}が{変|か}わって、{便利|べんり}になりました。
The law changed and it became convenient.
{彼|かれ}は{立派|りっぱ}な{経営者|けいえいしゃ}になりました。
He became a splendid business manager.
{事態|じたい}はさらに{深刻|しんこく}になりました。
The situation became even more serious.
{技術|ぎじゅつ}の{進歩|しんぽ}により、{不可能|ふかのう}が{可能|かのう}になりました。
Due to technological progress, the impossible has become possible.
{混沌|こんとん}とした{社会|しゃかい}が{秩序|ちつじょ}あるものへと{変容|へんよう}し、ようやく{平穏|へいおん}になりました。
The chaotic society transformed into an ordered one and finally became peaceful.
{長年|ながねん}の{修行|しゅぎょう}の{末|すえ}、{無|む}の{境地|きょうち}になりました。
After years of training, he reached a state of nothingness.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both can describe change over time.
Häufige Fehler
{寒|さむ}いに成る
{寒|さむ}くなる
{静|しず}かくなる
{静|しず}かになる
{医者|いしゃ}をなる
{医者|いしゃ}になる
{行|い}きたいになる
{行|い}きたくなる
Satzmuster
___が{好|す}きになりました。
Real World Usage
{午後|ごご}から{雨|あめ}になるでしょう。
{髪|かみ}を{切|き}って{短|みじか}くなった！
{来月|らいげつ}から{新|あたら}しいプロジェクトの{担当|たんとう}になります。
The 'Tai' Trick
Don't forget 'ni'!
Smart Tips
Use '~ku naru' with adjectives like 'tanoshii' to show you are enjoying it more.
Aussprache
Naru Pitch Accent
In 'naru', the pitch usually drops after the first syllable in standard Japanese (Atamadaka).
Rising at the end
{上手|じょうず}になった？
Asking if a change has occurred.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'Naru' as 'Nature' — it's how things naturally change or turn into something else.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a green caterpillar turning into a butterfly. The caterpillar {蝶|ちょう}になる (becomes a butterfly).
Rhyme
For 'I' drop the 'I' and add a 'KU', for Nouns and 'NA' use 'NI' to get through!
Story
A small seed was planted. It became wet ({濡|ぬ}れた), then it became warm ({暖|あたた}かくなった), and finally, it became a flower ({花|はな}になった).
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room and name three things that changed today using '~naru' (e.g., the coffee got cold, the room got messy).
Kulturelle Hinweise
Using 'naru' is often preferred over 'suru' because it sounds less forceful and more like a natural progression of events.
Derived from the Old Japanese verb 'naru', which meant to come into existence or bear fruit.
Gesprächseinstiege
{将来|しょうらい}、なにになりたいですか？
{最近|さいきん}、{何|なに}か{難|むずか}しくなりましたか？
{日本語|にほんご}を{勉強|べんきょう}して、{考|かんが}え{方|かた}が{変|か}わりましたか？
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
{冬|ふゆ}になって、___なりました。
Find and fix the mistake:
{将来|しょうらい}、{有名|ゆうめい}くなるのが{夢|ゆめ}です。
Score: /2
Ubungsaufgaben
2 exercises{冬|ふゆ}になって、___なりました。
Find and fix the mistake:
{将来|しょうらい}、{有名|ゆうめい}くなるのが{夢|ゆめ}です。
Score: /2
FAQ (6)
Not directly. You must first turn the verb into a noun-like state using `~koto ni naru` or `~yō ni naru`.
`{成|な}る` focuses on the result (becoming X), while `{変|か}わる` focuses on the process of changing itself.
No, it is very frequently written in hiragana as なる, especially in casual contexts.
Use the negative past form: `~ku naranakatta` or `~ni naranakatta`.
Yes, it is the standard way to say someone is turning a certain age: `20-sai ni naru`.
Usually no. 'Naru' implies a natural result. If you made a choice, you might use 'suru' or 'koto ni suru'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
become / get / turn
Japanese is more grammatically consistent.
volverse / hacerse / ponerse
Japanese doesn't distinguish between permanent and temporary change with 'naru'.
werden
German uses 'werden' as an auxiliary for the future tense, whereas Japanese uses 'naru' for the future only in specific contexts.
ṣāra (صار)
Japanese uses particles (ni/ku) while Arabic uses case endings.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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