「ことになる」- "In other words..."
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Plain Form + (という)ことになる | Verb Plain Form + (という)ことになる | Used to explain the final result or conclusion of a situation, often translated as "in other words..." |
| Noun + ということになる | Noun + ということになる | Used to explain the final result or conclusion of a situation, often translated as "in other words..." |
Basic Usage
ことになる is used to summarize or explain a result, expressing the logical outcome or conclusion of something. It can be used for natural results or decisions made by others.
Examples
彼女 はお兄 の妹 だから，私 と彼女 はいとこということになる。- Kanojo wa onii no imouto da kara, watashi to kanojo wa itoko to iu koto ni naru.
- She is my older brother's sister, so in other words, she and I are cousins.
３０００円 値引 きされていたということは、５０００円 で買 えたということになる。- Sanzen-en nebiki sarete ita to iu koto wa, gosen-en de kaeta to iu koto ni naru.
- If it was discounted by 3000 yen, in other words, you could buy it for 5000 yen.
Deep Dive
ことになる is used to describe the result of something that has already happened or is about to happen. It can indicate decisions made by others or natural conclusions. It is often used in formal contexts to emphasize the certainty and logic of the result. This expression can be combined with time, conditions, and other factors to convey different contexts.
Examples
本大会 は今回 で１０回目 ということになりました。- Hontai wa konkai de juu-kai-me to iu koto ni narimashita.
- This tournament is the 10th edition.
１９８５年 生ま れということは、私 と３歳 違 いということになりますね。- Sen kyuuhyaku hachijuugo-nen umare to iu koto wa, watashi to san-sai chigai to iu koto ni narimasu ne.
- Born in 1985, so in other words, you are 3 years younger than me.
Comparison and Differences
ことになる is similar to ことにする and ことになっている, but there are subtle differences in usage and tone.
「ことにする」: Subjective Decision
ことにする is used to express the speaker's own decision or intention, often indicating an active choice.
明日 から早起 きすることにしました。- Ashita kara hayaoki suru koto ni shimashita.
- I decided to start waking up early from tomorrow.
「ことになっている」: Rules or Established Plans
ことになっている indicates rules, plans, or customs that have already been decided, often referring to objective facts or decisions made by others.
明日 の会議 はオンライン で行 うことになっている。- Ashita no kaigi wa online de okonau koto ni natte iru.
- It has been decided that tomorrow's meeting will be held online.
Common Mistakes
- When using ことになる, it's easy to confuse subjective decisions with objective conclusions. Be clear whether the result is based on someone else's decision.
- Another common mistake is using ことになる to express "wanting" something, when it actually focuses on results or conclusions.
Real-Life Scenarios
- In business settings, ことになる is often used to summarize meeting outcomes or decisions.
- In daily life, it can be used to describe changes in plans or the results of decisions.
Example Collection
彼 はダメなら、私 もダメということになる。- Kare wa dame nara, watashi mo dame to iu koto ni naru.
- If he can't do it, then in other words, I can't either.
否定 しないということは、認 めたということになる。- Hitei shinai to iu koto wa, mitometa to iu koto ni naru.
- Not denying it means, in other words, admitting it.
窓際 に追 いやられ、事実上 クビということになる。- Madogiwa ni oiyarare, jijitsu-jou kubi to iu koto ni naru.
- Being pushed to the window seat means, in other words, effectively being fired.
競技人口 から見 ると、バスケットボール は世界 で最 も人気 のスポーツ ということになる。- Kyougi jinkou kara miru to, basukettobooru wa sekai de motto mo ninki no supootsu to iu koto ni naru.
- Looking at the number of players, basketball is, in other words, the most popular sport in the world.
ここ から３時間 かかるとなると、到着 は夜 ８時 ということになる。- Koko kara san-jikan kakaru to naru to, touchaku wa yoru hachi-ji to iu koto ni naru.
- If it takes 3 hours from here, then in other words, the arrival time will be 8 PM.
Summary
Through the grammar point ことになる, Japanese can naturally express logical conclusions and inferences. This expression is useful in both daily conversations and formal settings. Mastering this grammar point will help learners better understand and use Japanese.