ようになる / ことになる / ことにする

JLPT N3 Japanese self-study　·　~15 min　·　Gradual change · external decision · personal decision · established rule

'I became able to swim.' 'I've been transferred.' 'I decided to jog every morning.' 'Smoking is prohibited here.' — four similar-looking patterns with very different meanings.

What you'll learn

• ようになる = gradual change (ability/habit develops naturally)
• ことになる = external decision (not your will — circumstance/rule)
• ことにする = your own decision ('I decided to ~')
• ことになっている = established rule or fixed arrangement in effect

How to study “ようになる / ことになる / ことにする”

“ようになる / ことになる / ことにする” (Gradual change · external decision · personal decision · established rule) is a JLPT N3 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 15 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.