JLPT N2Spoken and written

のこととなるとwhen it comes to

On this one subject the person changes: the quiet one talks for hours, the calm one starts to fret.

田た中なかさんは無む口くちだが、鉄てつ道どうのこととなると、何なん時じ間かんでも熱ねっ心しんに語かたる。

Mr. Tanaka is a man of few words, but when it comes to trains he will talk eagerly for hours.

のことになると

彼かれは仕し事ごとでは大だい胆たんなのに、お金かねのことになると急きゅうに慎しん重ちょうになる。

He is bold at work, but when it comes to money he suddenly turns cautious.

How to form it

Noun + のこととなると

のことになると means the same and sounds a little more conversational.

Before it: A person or a subject someone cares about: 子こども, お金かね, 仕し事ごと, 車くるま, 自じ分ぶん (themselves).
After it: What they turn into: 夢む中ちゅうになる (lost in it), 急きゅうに厳きびしくなる (suddenly strict), 話はなしが止とまらない (can't stop talking), 目めの色いろが変かわる (a gleam comes into their eye).
Tone: Fond, impressed or fed up. The rest of the sentence decides.
Where you'll meet it: Talk about family, friends and colleagues; essays and novels describing a character.

In use

ゲームのこととなると、弟おとうとは夢む中ちゅうになる。

When it comes to games, my little brother gets completely absorbed.

普ふ段だんは冷れい静せいな姉あねも、子こどものこととなると、つい心しん配ぱいしすぎる。

Even my sister, who is normally so level-headed, worries too much when it comes to her children.

父ちちは自じ分ぶんの健けん康こうには無む頓とん着ちゃくだが、母ははのこととなると、少すこしのせきでも病びょう院いんへ行いけと言いう。

My father takes no care of his own health, but when it comes to my mother, he tells her to go to the hospital over the slightest cough.

It leads to a change

The first half often says what someone is usually like: 普ふ段だんは, のに, だが. What follows のこととなると is usually how they change on this one subject. It is not another word for "about".

父ちちとお金かねについて話はなした。

I talked with my father about money.

What you talk, think, write or ask about.

父ちちはお金かねのこととなると、急きゅうに厳きびしくなる。

When it comes to money, my father suddenly turns strict.

On this one subject he is not his usual self.

Not said: 日本にほんの歴れき史しのこととなると、本ほんを読よみました。

(I read a book about Japanese history.)

日本にほんの歴れき史しについての本ほんを読よみました.

Close neighbours

となるとN2

Without のこと it mostly follows a situation: "if it really comes to that", and you turn to what it will mean in practice.

彼かれが代だい表ひょうとなると、交こう渉しょうの進すすめ方かたも変かわるだろう。

If he becomes the representative, the way the talks are run will probably change too.

にかけてはN2

"When it comes to", followed by praise: this is the field where someone is the best.

この店みせは魚さかなの鮮せん度どにかけては地ち域いきで一いち番ばんだ。

When it comes to fresh fish, this shop is the best in the area.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

海かい外がいに引ひっ越こす（　　）、準じゅん備びに何なんか月げつもかかる。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

祖そ父ふは普ふ段だんあまり話はなさないが、昔むかしの映えい画がのこととなると、目めを輝かがやかせて話はなし始はじめる。

My grandfather doesn't usually say much, but when it comes to old films his eyes light up and he starts talking.

兄あには数すう字じに弱よわいが、野や球きゅうの記き録ろくのこととなると、細こまかい数すう字じまで覚おぼえている。

My older brother is bad with numbers, but when it comes to baseball records he remembers the figures down to the last detail.

彼かの女じょは自じ分ぶんへの批ひ判はんには平へい気きだが、家か族ぞくのこととなると、黙だまってはいられない。

Criticism of herself doesn't bother her, but when it comes to her family she can't keep quiet.

部ぶ長ちょうはたいてい決けつ断だんが早はやいのに、人じん事じのことになると、急きゅうに慎しん重ちょうになる。

The department head is usually quick to decide, but when it comes to personnel he suddenly turns cautious.

人ひとの間ま違ちがいにはすぐ気きづくのに、自じ分ぶんのこととなると、なかなか気きづかないものだ。

We spot other people's mistakes at once, but when it comes to our own we are slow to notice.