Translation guide
This guide covers how to express that a situation, problem, or process becomes more complex or difficult to deal with in Japanese. It focuses on natural phrasing for English speakers, including common verbs and patterns.
The problem became complicated.
The situation is becoming more and more complicated.
A more colloquial and slightly stronger way to say 'become complicated', often implying something is messy, tangled, or troublesome. Common in spoken Japanese.
The story is getting complicated.
The procedure seems likely to become complicated.
A more formal, often written term meaning 'to become complicated' or 'to grow complex'. Used for societal issues, systems, etc.
Social problems are becoming complicated.
Used when a situation, relationship, or negotiation becomes complicated in a negative, tangled, or hard-to-resolve way. Often implies things have gone wrong.
The negotiations became complicated (and stalled).
To emphasize that something becomes complicated because many elements or people are involved.
To describe feelings or relationships becoming complicated, often with romantic or interpersonal nuances.
Literally 'to become a complicated feeling', used when one's emotions are mixed or conflicted.
Hearing his words, I felt complicated (had mixed feelings).
Often used for relationships or threads becoming tangled/complicated. Can imply a romantic entanglement.
複雑になる is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal settings. ややこしくなる is more colloquial and carries a nuance of being troublesome or messy. Avoid ややこしくなる in very formal writing.
This problem is complicated. (neutral)
This problem is a pain / messy. (colloquial)
Avoid directly translating 'become' as 〜になる in all cases. For some verbs like こじれる or もつれる, the verb itself already contains the meaning of becoming complicated. Using 〜になる with them would be unnatural.
While explaining, the story got complicated.
二人の関係がもつれてしまった。
Their relationship became complicated (entangled).