Kotomora
JLPT N4ConstructionHonorific
Furigana

になるRespectful action

This pattern respectfully describes an action performed by a customer, teacher, manager, or another person whose position you wish to raise. The respect is directed toward the person doing the action, not merely toward the listener.

Who receives the respect?

The person doing the action is the person being respected. English often has no special verb form for this distinction, so the translation may look ordinary even though the Japanese clearly raises the subject.

Questions and reports

The same construction works in questions, descriptions, and reports. Only the final なる changes for tense and politeness.

きゃくさまはどのしょうひんえらびになりますか。

Which product will you choose?

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The customer is the respected subject.

せんせいさきほどけんきゅうしつもどりになりました

The teacher returned to the laboratory a short while ago.

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しゃちょうらいげつしきてんしゅっせきになります

The company president will attend next month's ceremony.

Analyze

Raising the subject versus lowering yourself

The first sentence uses the target pattern to raise the manager who makes the decision. The second uses the neighboring humble pattern for the speaker's own action.

ちょうはこのあんめになりました

The manager decided on this proposal.

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Respectful: the manager is raised.

わたしりょうとどけします

I will deliver the documents.

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Humble: the speaker lowers their own action.

More examples

きゃくさまはロビーでちになります

The customer will wait in the lobby.

Analyze

せんせいはこのろんぶんみになりましたか。

Has the teacher read this paper?

Analyze

ちょうさんもどりになります

The department manager will return at three in the afternoon.

Analyze

しゃちょうあたらしいけいかくせつめいになりました

The company president explained the new plan.

Analyze

かいちょうしきてんしゅっせきになります

The chairperson will attend the ceremony.

Analyze

このサービスをようになるきゃくさまえています。

The number of customers using this service is increasing.

Analyze

これはせんせいえらびになったほんです。

This is the book the teacher selected.

Analyze