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fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

なる

to become

  • #6 most used
  • Godan verb (u-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI become
NegativeI don’t become

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI became
NegativeI didn’t become

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formbecoming, and…
Doing now (て います)I am becoming
Please (て ください)please become

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can become
NegativeI can’t become

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to become
NegativeI don’t want to become

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s become

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I become
  2. If, when (たら) if I become

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) become (do it)
  2. Plain command become!
  3. Please don’t please don’t become

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am become
CausativeI make someone become

How to use なる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    らいねん、 さんじゅっさい に なります。

    Next year I turn thirty.

  2. Past

    そと は すっかり くらく なりました。

    It's got quite dark outside.

  3. Te-form

    げんき に なって、 よかった です ね。

    I'm glad you're better.

  4. Potential

    だれ でも いしゃ に なれます か。

    Can anyone become a doctor?

  5. Want to

    しょうらい、 つうやく に なりたい です。

    I want to be an interpreter one day.

  6. Volitional

    らいねん は もっと つよく なろう。

    Let's get stronger next year.

  7. Conditional

    はる に なれば、 さくら が さきます。

    When spring comes, the cherry trees bloom.

  8. Commands and requests

    やさしい ひと に なりなさい。

    Be a kind person.

  9. Passive and causative

    さとう さん は おばあさん に なられました。

    Mrs. Sato became a grandmother.

Good to know

  • Before なる, a noun or な-adjective takes に, and an い-adjective ends in く: せんせい に なる, おおきく なる.
  • なられました in the passive sentence is the polite (honorific) use of that form.

Where you hear なる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 1

  • よる は さむく なります。 It gets cold at night.
  • かぜ は よく なりました。 My cold got better.
  • らいねん、 さんじゅっさい に なります。 Next year I'll turn thirty.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • はる さん は えいご が じょうず に なって います。 Haru is getting better at English.
  • にほんご が じょうず に なりました ね。 Your Japanese has got better.
  • らいしゅう は もっと じょうず に なります よ。 You'll be even better next week.
19
A Cold

Beginner Level 1 · なりました · よく なりました。

Needs a subscription 29
The Last Evening

Beginner Level 1 · さびしく なります。

Needs a subscription 16
The Quiet Student

Beginner Level 2 · じょうず に なります · じょうず に なりました

Needs a subscription 27
By the River

Beginner Level 2 · さびしく なります。

Needs a subscription 30
Another Year

Beginner Level 2 · なりたい

Needs a subscription 1
New Year's Day

Beginner Level 3 · なります ように

Free 22
Deciding Together

Beginner Level 3 · なる

Needs a subscription 19
The Big Clean

Intermediate Level 1 · なった

Needs a subscription 23
A Secret Mission

Intermediate Level 1 · ねむく なる

Needs a subscription 24
A Word with Her Father

Intermediate Level 1 · あかく なる

Needs a subscription 29
Where and When?

Intermediate Level 1 · やすく なる

Needs a subscription 3
Head Teacher

Intermediate Level 2 · いそがしく なる

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And 5 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).