「たことにする」- Hypothetical Past

Explanation

たことにする is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express a hypothetical assumption about a past event. It is formed by combining the past tense of a verb + た + ことにする. This grammar point is often used to make hypothetical statements, pretending that a past event either didn’t happen or that something else happened instead.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
たことにする	Verb past tense + た + ことにする	Used to hypothesize about past events, often to avoid awkwardness or conceal facts.

Basic Usage

The basic usage of たことにする is to treat an action as if it were the opposite of what actually happened. In English, it can be translated as "let's pretend," "consider it as," or "treat it as."

• 今いままでのことはなかったことにしてもらえないか。
• Ima made no koto wa nakatta koto ni shite moraenai ka.
• Can we just pretend that nothing happened up until now?
  

This structure is often used at the end of a sentence to make a request or suggestion.

Examples

• 会社かいしゃには出張しゅっちょうに行いったことにして、旅行りょこうを満喫まんきつしてきた。
• Kaisha ni wa shucchou ni itta koto ni shite, ryokou o mankitsu shite kita.
• Let’s pretend I went on a business trip for the company and fully enjoyed my vacation.
  

• 今回こんかいのことはなかったことにしよう。
• Konkai no koto wa nakatta koto ni shiyou.
• Let’s just pretend this time never happened.
  

• 今いまの話はなしは聞きかなかったことにしよう。
• Ima no hanashi wa kikanakatta koto ni shiyou.
• Let’s just pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.
  

Deep Dive

To better understand たことにする, let’s analyze it from the following perspectives:

Hypothetical Statements

• 仕事しごとを終おわらせたことにしてさっさと帰かえってきた。
• Shigoto o owaraseta koto ni shite sassato kaette kita.
• I pretended I finished my work and came home quickly.
  

Concealing Facts

• 夫おっとの不倫ふりんを見みなかったことにする。
• Otto no furin o minakatta koto ni suru.
• I’ll pretend I didn’t see my husband’s affair.
  

Avoiding Awkwardness

• その話はなしは聞きかなかったことにしましょう。
• Sono hanashi wa kikanakatta koto ni shimashou.
• Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear that conversation.
  

Real-Life Scenarios

• In social situations, using たことにする can effectively avoid awkwardness and maintain a relaxed atmosphere.
• In work environments, it can be used to downplay certain issues to prevent team members from feeling pressured.

Summary

たことにする is a grammatical structure used to hypothesize about past events, often to conceal facts or avoid awkwardness. By deeply understanding its usage and comparing it with other structures, you can better grasp the richness and flexibility of Japanese expression.