Adjective + する & なる ( = suru & naru)

「幸せになってね。」

= Shiawase ni nattene.

Be happy, OK?

「うんと優しくするから」

= Un to yasashiku suru kara.

= I will be so nice to you so…

Hi everyone!

Today’s guest teacher is Tora-sensei.

He is my lovely student’s cat and he joins us whenever we have a Skype Lesson!

******

Hi I am Tora!

Nice to meet you all!

One of you asked Maggie Sensei to make a lesson on how to use adjectiveする ( = suru).

I can teach you how, and I can also teach you how to use adjectives +  ( = ni) + なる ( = naru)

Note: I will just focus on adjectives in this lesson. If you want to learn more about the usages with verbs or nouns, check the following lesson.

 :rrrr: * Vことになる/する  &  Vようになる/する

= V koto ni naru/suru  & V you ni naru/suru  

 :rrrr: なる  &  ~  なる  

 =  to naru & ni naru 

 

How to form:

 :n: i-adjective

Ex. 大きい = おおきい = ookii = big

1) delete  ( = i) and add  ( = ku)

大きく = おおきく = ookiku

2) Add  する ( = suru) / なる ( = naru)

大きくする = おおきくする = ookiku suru = to make ~ big/bigger.

大きくなる = おおきくなる = ookiku naru = to grow/ to be big/bigger

* present negative

大きくしない = おおきくしない = ookiku shinai = not to make ~ big/bigger

大きくならない おおきくならない = ookiku naranai = not to grow big/bigger

* past tense

大きくしなかった = おおきくしなかった = ookiku shinakatta = didn’t make ~ big/bigger

大きくならなかった = おおきくならなかった= ookiku naranakatta = didn’t grow big/bigger

* (more polite) masu-form

大きくします おおきくする = ookiku shimasu = to make ~ big/bigger.

大きくなります = おおきくなります = ookiku narimasu = to grow/ to be big/bigger

* masu-form: present negative

大きくしません = おおきくしません = ookiku shimasen = not to make it big/bigger

大きくなりません = おおきくなりません = ookiku narimasen = not to grow big/bigger

*masu-form: past tense

大きくしませんでした = おおきくしませんでした = ookiku shimasen deshita

大きくなりませんでした = おおきくなりませんでした = ookiku narimasen deshita

 :purple: na-adjetive

Ex. 静かな = しずかな = shizukana = quiet

静か = しずか = shizuka

1) add  ( = ni)  + する ( = suru) / なる ( = naru)

 静かにするしずかにする = shizuka ni suru = to keep quiet, to be quiet

→ 静かになる = しずかになる = shizuka ni naru = to become quiet

* present negative

→ 静かにしない = しずかにしない = shizuka ni shinai =  not to keep quiet

 静かにならない しずかにならない = shizuka ni naranai = not  to become quiet

* past tense

* する ( = suru) →した ( = shita)

なる ( = naru) →なった ( = natta)

 静かにした しずかにした = shizuka ni shita = kept quiet /have kept quiet

→ 静かになった = しずかになった = shizuka ni natta = became quite

*(more polite) masu form

* present tense

静かにします しずかにします = shizuka ni shimasu = to keep quiet

静かになります しずかになります = shizuka ni narimasu = to become quiet

* masu form present negative

→ 静かにしません しずかにしません = shizuka ni shimasen = not to keep quiet

→ 静かになりません = しずかになりません = shizuka ni narimasen= not to become quiet

* masu form past tense

 静かにしました = しずかにしました = shizuka ni shimashita = kept quiet

→ 静かになりました しずかになりました = shizuka ni narimashita = became quiet

* masu form past negative

→ 静かにしませんでした= しずかにしませんでした= shizuka ni shimasen deshita = didn’t keep quiet

 静かになりませんでしたしずかになりませんでした= shizuka ni narimasen deshita  = didn’t become quiet

*****

OK, so now you know how the forms. Now let’s learn the differences.  !JYANE! 

1) ( something/someone( = wo) + ) adjective ( + * ( = ni))  + する ( = suru)

= to make something/someone + adjective

 :: *You need the particle  ( = ni) with na-adjective

Ex. 図書館では、静かにしてください。

= Toshokan dewa, shizuka ni shite kudasai.

= Please keep quiet in the library.

Ex. 私が好きじゃないならそんなに優しくしないで。

= Watashi ga suki janai nara sonnani yasashiku shinai de.

= Don’t be so nice to me if you don’t have feelings for me.

Ex. 髪をかなり短くしました

= Kami wo kanari mijikaku shimashita.

= I got my hair cut really short.

A little corny but…

:u:

Ex. きっと君のこと、幸せにするよ。(male speech)

= Kitto kimi no koto, shiawase ni suru yo.

= I will make you happy for sure.

Ex. 部屋を暗くしてテレビを観た。

= Heya wo kuraku shite terebi wo mita.

= I dimmed the lights and watched TV.

Ex. 母はいつも友達は大切にしなさいと言っていた。

= Haha wa itsumo tomodachi wa taisetsu ni shinasai to itte ita.

= My mother always told me to care about your friends.

Ex. なぜか好きな人に冷たくしてしまう。

= Naze ka sukina hito ni tsumetaku shite shimau.

= I don’t know why but I tend to turn the cold shoulder to people I like.

Ex. 待ち合わせ時間を一時間遅くしてくれない?

= Machiawase jikan wo ichijikan osoku shite kurenai?

= Can you delay our meeting time one hour?

Ex. このお茶は冷たくして飲んでください。

= Kono ocha wa tsumetaku shite nonde kudasai.

= Please drink this tea after chilling it.

Ex. エアコンの設定温度を1度、低くした

= Eakon no settei ondo wo ichido, hikuku shita.

= I lowered the temperature on the AC by one degree.

Ex.テレビの音をもっと大きくしてくれない?

= Terebi no oto wo motto ookiku shite kurenai?

= Can you turn up the volume on the TV a little more?

Ex. カーテンの色を明るくした

= Kaaten no iro wo akaruku shita.

= I changed the color of curtain to a brighter one.

Ex.どうしてもっと部屋をきれいにしないの?

= Doushite motto heya wo kirei ni shinai no?

= Why don’t you clean your room more?

Ex. A) もう少し安くしてくれますか?

= Mou sukoshi yasuku shite kuremasen ka?

= Can you make it cheaper?

Note: If the product is the subject, you use なる ( = naru)

Ex. B) もう少し安くなりませんか?

= Mou sukoshi yasuku narimasen ka?

= Can the price be cheaper?

Ex. 太るからこのケーキはあまり甘くしませんでした。

= Futoru kara kono keiki wa amari amaku shimasen deshita.

= I don’t want to gain weight so I didn’t make this cake too sweet.

Ex.マギー先生、あまり厳しくしないでね。

= Maggie sensei, amari kibishiku shinai dene.

= Maggie sensei, don’t be so strict with me.

 

2) adjective ( + *  ( = ni))  + なる ( = naru)

= to become ~ , to grow ~ + (more/less)  adjective  (describing the change)

 :: *You need a particle  ( = ni) with na-adjective

Ex. 最近、きれいになったね。

= Saikin kirei ni nattane.

= You’re looking great these days!

Ex.この木はそんなに大きくならないです。

= Kono ki wa sonna ni ookiku naranai desu.

This tree won’t grow so big.

Ex. 春から忙しくなる

= Haru kara isogashiku naru.

= I am going to be busier this spring.

Ex.息子さんが東京に行ってしまったら寂しくなりますね。

= Musuko san ga Toukyou ni itte shimattara sabishiku narimasu ne.

= You are going to miss your son when he moves to Tokyo.

Ex. だんだん、眠くなってきた。 :zzzz: 

= Dandan, nemuku natte kimta.

= I am getting sleepier.

Ex. 好きな人の顔を見るだけで顔が赤くなる

= Sukina hito no kao wo miru dake de kao ga akaku naru.

= Just looking at someone I like makes me blush.

Ex. 父は最近、前ほど厳しくなくなった

= Chichi wa saikin, mae hodo kibishiku naku natta.

= My dad is getting less strict lately.

Ex. お酒を飲んだら体が温かくなってきた。

= Osake wo nondara karada ga atatakaku natte kita.

= After drinking sake, my body is getting warmer.

Ex. 元気になってよかったですね。

= Genki ni natte yokatta desu ne.

= I am glad that you are getting better (healthier/ happier).

Ex. スマホで買い物ができるから便利になった

= Sumaho de kaimono ga dekiru kara benri ni natta.

= Being able to use a smartphone for shopping made things more convenient.

Ex. お子さん、日に日にかわいくなってきますね。

= Okosan, hi ni hi ni kawaiku natte kimasu ne.

= Your child is getting cuter and cuter every day.

Ex. 妹は大学に入ってから性格が明るくなった

= Imouto wa daigaku ni haitte kara seikaku ga akaruku natta.

= My little sister became more cheerful since she entered the university.

Ex. 今日は、帰りは遅くなるよ。

= Kyou wa, kaeri wa osoku naru yo.

= I’ll be back home late today.

Ex. 今年から消費税率が高くなる

= Kotoshi kara shouhizei ritsu ga takaku naru.

= The consumption tax rate will be higher starting this year.

Ex. 薬を飲んだら痛くなくなりました

= Kusuri wo nondara itaku naku narimashita.

= My pain was gone after taking the medicine.

Ex. 昔の写真を見ていたらなんだか悲しくなってきた

= Mukashi no shashin wo mite itara nandaka kanashiku nattekita.

= I am getting more sad looking at my old pictures.

Ex. 授業中、生徒が静かにならない時はただ黙って待ちます。

= Jugyouchuu, seito ga shizuka ni naranai toki wa tada damatte machimasu.

= When the students don’t quiet down in the class, I just keep my mouth shut and wait.

 :ii: From the picture above

「幸せになってね。」

= Shiawase ni nattene.

= Be happy, OK?

It literally means “Be/Become happy” but you use it as  “I wish your happiness”/ “Best wishes” for someone who is going to get married.

You can also say,

どうぞお幸せに

= Douzo oshiawase ni.

= Wishing you happiness.

いつまでもお幸せに

= Itsumade mo oshiawase ni.

= I wish you to be happy forever.

「うんと優しくするから」

= Un to yasashiku suru kara.

= I will be so nice to you so…

うんと ( = unto ) is a casual way to say “a lot” / “very

***

マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

Tora先生、ありがとう!

= Tora sensei, arigatou!

= Thank you, Tora-sensei!

私にも優しくしてね。 :) 

= Watashi ni mo yasashiku shitene.

= Be nice to me, too, OK?

****

Will you be my Patron? 

I started Patreon to keep our site.

I appreciate your support!  サポートありがとう! !CHECKHEART! 

My supporters can access an audio file for this lesson on my Pateron page and some mini lessons and quiz.

 :rrrr: Audio File for this lesson.

Become a Patron!




You may also like

53 Comments

  1. こんにちは先生。

    This example sentence:
    今日は、帰りは遅くなるよ

    Can you explain the difference between this and just saying「今日は、帰りは遅いよ」?

    1. こんにちは、Terry

      A 帰りは遅いよ。 
      B 帰りは遅くなるよ

      The translation could be the same in English but the difference is
      A: It simply states that you are going to be home late tonight.
      B: It indicates the process of becoming late. For example, if you have a lot of tasks to do, you might end up being late as a result of those circumstances.

        1. どういたしまして
          Yes it may sound subtle.
          It might be just easy to think
          → the basic idea of なる expresses the change and the result. A →B
          For example you usually get to home around six. But you have many things to do and it will be late.
          your regular time to go home (around six) A →do this and that →It will be late. B

  2. Good evening Maggie. I came across the following sentence: 俺が逆らうと、兄貴はよく脇をこしょばしてきました。
    I had some doubts. Shouldn’t it be こしょばくして? Or is it okay to use it the way it was written in the sentence?
    My other doubt is that I would like to know what the function of きました is in this sentence.

    1. Hi Pedro
      こしょばす is a dialect and it means くすぐる to tickle
      So こしょばしてきました means くすぐってきました
      And Vてくる/きます is used when some action is coming towards you.

  3. おはようMaggie Sensei, お久しぶりですよ!
    I’m so happy to see your lessons are still on the first page when I have a question related to Japanese!
    My question is about the particle は and を. In a visual novel, a character is asking:
    今日モニカの手伝いはしないのかよ?
    I saw that to say “to help ~” it’s more 手伝いをする and not 手伝いはする. What is the difference between both? Is it because we just want to say 手伝いする with は emphasizing 手伝い?
    Thank you Maggie-sensei!

    1. Hi Gaspatcher

      手伝いをする 手伝い (help) + を (=object marker) + する ( = to do ) = to help
      You can also just say 手伝う
      手伝いはする As you say you use は has a couple of functions, topic, showing the contrast, emphasizing what comes before.
      It depends on the context but from just that sentence, it could be just bringing up a topic.

      (I think you wrote the same message twice. I erased one of them.)

      1. It depends on the context but from just that sentence, it could be just bringing up a topic. > OK makes sense, because the speaker wants to confirm what she’s doing today. “Aren’t you going to help Monika today?”, maybe that’s why は is used here, to introduce the new topic. What was said before was:
        でも、お前はどうなんだよ
        今日モニカの手伝いはしないのかよ?

        (I think you wrote the same message twice. I erased one of them.) > Yeah I wanted to delete it myself, but I couldn’t, thank you!

  4. Hi Maggie Sensei,

    I have a question about this particular sample sentence:

    薬を飲んだら痛くなくなりました

    Is there a difference between negating 「痛い」 first into 「痛くな+くなりました」
    compared to negating 「なる」into 「痛く+なりませんでした」

    How would the meaning of the sentence be changed?

    1. Hello Andrew
      The difference between
      1) 痛くなりませんでした and 2) 痛くなくなりました is

      1) It didn’t hurt before but you expect it will hurt later. But after taking the medicine, it didn’t hurt after all.
      2) It hurt before. But after taking the medicine, the pain was gone. 〜なる/~なくなる express the change.
      (FYI I have a lesson on なる The link is here.)

  5. Hi,
    Can you please translate this line, it’s from a song:
    (諦観 それも今となりゃ野暮か)
    I searched everywhere about (narya) but didn’t find anything. Does it come from naru+ ya OR nari+ya?

    1. Hi
      I don’t do the translation here but
      今となりゃ is a casual contraction of 今となれば  = 今となっては at this point/ something is no longer ~ / Something used to be ~ but it has become ~at this point
      I explained the usage of りゃ in this lesson. Link is here.

  6. こんにちは、Maggie先生。元気ですか?

    I want to ask about the difference between “Xが好きになる” and “Xを好きになる”。Is there any difference in meaning/nuance between these two when using different particles?

    I even saw “XがYを好きになる”, I’m so confused, keep wondering if it was “X likes Y” or “Y likes X”???

    I’ve already searched it up on Google but there is no answer 🥺.

    1. こんばんは、Mimi

      The difference is subtle but while Xを好きになる is “I will like X”
      “X”が好きになる = You emphasize X. = to come to like “X” (anybody/anything else but X)
      “Xを好きになる” = The message, “to come to like X” is important.

  7. Maggie Sensei

    Help me please.

    In this paragraph is there are two とs. Are they working like AS WELL AS?

    単眼:
    昆虫類・クモ類・多足類にみられる小形で単純な構造のレンズ眼。皮膚に突出したレンズ状の角膜と,若干の視細胞の集合した小網膜とからなり,主に明暗に反応する。

    I mean: 単眼 consists of(からなり) 若干の視細胞の集合した小網膜 as well as 突出したレンズ状の角膜.

    That is the impression I have.

    1. Hi david,

      と in the sentence means “and”
      単眼 consists of(からなり) 若干の視細胞の集合した小網膜 and 突出したレンズ状の角膜.

  8. Thank you Maggie sensei for yet another super useful lesson! I was thinking about this sentence from the lesson:

    Ex. なぜか好きな人に冷たくしてしまう。 = Naze ka sukina hito ni tsumetaku shite shimau. = I don’t know why but I tend to turn the cold shoulder to people I like.

    Would it be wrong to use ‘naru’ instead? ( = なぜか好きな人に冷たくなってしまう)。

    To me, 冷たくなってしまう sounds more like it’s a natural/spontaneous/ inevitable process (it just happens, he/she has no choice), while 冷たくしてしまう sounds more like it’s an action that he/she chooses to do (she ‘makes herself’ cold).

    Thank you so much for your help!

    1. Hi Davide

      I guess it is possible if you see your attitude objectively but I would still use 冷たくしてしまう because it is your own attitude that you control or you lose control.

      冷たくなる is intransitive verb and it means “something turns cold.
      手が冷たくなる One’s hands turn cold. →(adding your feelings.) 手が冷たくなってしまう。
      お茶が冷たくなる tea gets cold→(adding your feelings.) お茶が冷たくなってしまう。

      私は彼に冷たくなる is not natural because the subject is 私. You are talking about your own feelings/attitude.

      If you (intentionally) make something cold you say 冷たくする
      冷たくする is a transitive verb. To make something cold.
      好きな人に冷たくする to treat someone you like in a cold way.

      By changing the sentence to 冷たくしてしまう, you can add the feelings that You don’t really want to treat him coldly but you lose control and you ended up treating him coldly.  

  9. Thank you so much maggie sensei, whenever I search the grammar points in the internet. I search different websites, and this website always hit the right points, also colorful distinction for explanation. I also use that In my notes.
    I may not be good at reading native material now, but slowly I learn japanese grammar correctly. This website is a great help.

    1. こんにちは、 勉強さん!
      Thank you so much for your nice comment! It made my day!
      これからもがんばってレッスン作りますね! 勉強さんもがんばって!

  10. Hey Maggie. Much love for all of the info that you put out for all of us learners here. Thank youuuuuu!

    Got some tiny questions. Why is there no past tense positive for i-adj? Also, there is no negative for plain style na-adjectives; why is that? Cause then you give the polite -masu form for all tenses.

    Thank you again. Your blog is very inspiring!

    Love,
    Biz

    1. Hi Biz!

      Hmm you are not talking about suru/naru and just asking the conjugation of adjective here?
      If so the past tense of i-adjective is
      i→katta
      ookii big →ookikatta was/were big
      (polite) attach “desu” →ookikatta desu.

      And the negative form of na-adjective is
      benri(na) convenient → benridewanai / benrijanai not convenient
      (polite) attach “desu” →benridewanai desu/ benrijanai desu.

  11. Maggie Sensei, thanks for your effort. Just few suggestions. Can you please state at the beginning of the lesson the main uses of the pattern you are going to discuss? Like, for example, you can briefly mention the places where the pattern can be used.

    It would be of great help. Great day ahead!

    1. Thanks for your suggestion.
      Someone asked me once to write all the summary in the beginning and I did once. And it got too long so…. It is actually hard to make everybody happy….Maybe I can try in some mini lessons.
      Anyway I appreciate your feedback. ☺️

  12. Thank you so much for your lesson, Maggie sensei. マギー先生のウェブサイトは、僕の日本語の勉強の一番の行き先です。(You are my no.1 destination in learning Japanese–did I say it right?)
    I’m reading 「ノルウェーの森」to learn Japanese, and I came across the construction “adverb (ending in と) + する”. I’d like to understand what it means and what’s going on in terms of grammar. Here are some examples:
    1:”のっぺりとした”空港 
    2:それらはあまりにも”くっきりとしている”ので、手を伸ばせば一つ一つ指でなぞれそうな気がするくらいだ。(Your lessons on “くらい” and “potential form+そう” helped me understand the second part.)
    3:”さらりとした”手触りのまっすぐな綺麗な髪
    It seems like adverb+suru means “being something”. I assume のっぺりとした = being smooth, and くっきりとしている = being clear. Is that right?
    Thank you so much!

    1. Hi Jing,

      いつもこのサイトを使ってくれてありがとう!
      (You can also say 日本語の勉強をするときは、真っ先にこのサイトに来ます。)

      のっぺり・くっきり・さらり are mimetic words. You modify a noun with these mimetic words with とした
      (onomatopoeia or mimetic words) と + した + noun
      You use this form to describe the condition of the noun which comes after.
      のっぺりと

      FYI When you modify a verb,
      (onomatopoeia or mimetic words) と + verb

      Ex. くっきりと線を描く to draw a line clearly.
      Ex. さらりと言う to say things without hesitation/nonchalantly

  13. Hi maggie,

    Ummmm, what do an adj/noun + suru get called?

    e.g. 形容動詞, 接続詞…

    The other one I’m curious about is: 形容動詞=adj noun, but it’s literal meaning seems to be : “adj verb”.  

    Sorry, I hope i’m not too direct! XD

    Thankyou for your time.

  14. maggie-sensei, I understand ‘Adjective+なる’ but how should I interpret できなくなる? (with できる being a verb) same way?

    1. Hello
      The idea is the same.

      できなくなる means “to become unable to ~ “”won’t be able to ~”
      You used to be able do do something but under certain circumstances, you won’t be able to do that anymore.

      Ex. 8月から忙しくなるので、日本語の勉強ができなくなる。
      I will be busier from August so I won’t be able to study Japanese.

      1. okay thank you!

        I have another question, does this kind of structure with ‘verb negative form + くなる’ come out with other verbs other than できる?

        1. Yes,
          You used to do something but a little by little stop doing something
          食べなくなる/ 勉強しなくなる / 使わなくなる

          1. thank you, maggie-sensei! it was very helpful!

            love your site and lessons! :D

  15. Hi,I am reading a book concerning Jesus. But I found some sentences with
    物となるand 物とする :”それはあなたがたの喜びが満ち満ちたものとなるためです。I translated : I want that your happiness will become full
    Why it puts 物とbefore なる?
    There is another sentence:
    主は 彼らとともに 働き、みことばに 伴うしるしをもって、みことばを 確かなものとされた。
    God working with them, and confirming the word with signs that followed (the word).In this case use 物とするIs it an old way to say or there is a grammar explanation?
    Thanks for your delights
    Maria

    1. Hi Maria

      もの in these sentence is like “the one(s)” in English. It indicates the noun which comes before and you can avoid using the same word.

      それはあなたがたの喜びが満ち満ちたものとなるためです。
      →This もの indicates 喜び

      みことばを 確かなものとされた。
      →This もの is みことば

  16. Hi Maggie Sensei, I am a bit confused on one of the examples, as the romaji doesn’t seem to match the hiragana so I’m not sure which is correct?

    待ち合わせ時間を一時間遅くしてくれない?
    = Machiawase jikan wo ichijikan osoku shite moratta.

    My vague understanding of the grammar is that ~shite kurenai would be correct, as this is asking someone to do something for you (whereas shite moratta would be saying someone has already done it for you…right?)

    Thanks!

  17. Thank you so much, Maggie sensei. This is exactly what I needed to better understand the use of adjective +suru. Great lesson. Thanks so much.

Leave a Reply to Shaun Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *