8.8 Making an effort vs change over time

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Overview

Learn the difference between ようにする (making a conscious effort to do something) and ようになる (a gradual change in ability or habit over time).

～ようにする / ～ようになる — making an effort vs change over time

These two patterns are closely related but express different kinds of change.

～ようにする — a deliberate effort or decision
～ようになる — a change that happens over time (ability, habit, state)

～ようにする — making an effort / trying to do

～ようにする is used when the speaker intentionally tries to make something happen. It emphasizes conscious effort or habit-building.

Verb（dictionary / ない）＋ようにする

。

I try to study Japanese every day.

。

I try not to eat sweets.

。

I make an effort to go to bed early at night.

This does not mean the result is guaranteed — only that the effort is there.

～ようになる — change over time / become able to

～ようになる describes a natural or gradual change. It often refers to gaining an ability, a habit forming, or a situation becoming possible.

Verb（dictionary / ない）＋ようになる

。

I became able to understand Japanese.

。

I became able to go alone.

。

I started waking up early.

Here, the focus is on the resulting change, not the effort itself.

～ようにする vs ～ようになる

Expression	Focus	Meaning
～ようにする	Intention / effort	Try to do / make it a rule
～ようになる	Result / change	Come to be able to / start to

。

I try to exercise every day.

。

I started exercising every day.

The first emphasizes effort. The second emphasizes change over time.

～にする / ～になる vs ～ようにする / ～ようになる

Pattern	What it expresses
～にする	Make a decision / choose
～になる	Become a state
～ようにする	Make an effort / try to
～ようになる	Come to be able to / gradual change

。

I try to go to bed early.

。

I decided to go to bed early.

Dialogue

にほんご日本語をじょうず上手にしたくて、はんとし半年まえ前からまいにち毎日れんしゅう練習するようにしています。さいしょ最初はむずかしかった難しかったのですが、さいきん最近はすこしずつ少しずつはなせる話せるようになりました。いぜん以前はかんじ漢字がぜんぜん全然よめなかった読めなかったのに、いま今はあるていどある程度よめる読めるようになりました。たんご単語をふやす増やすために、まいばん毎晩あたらしい新しいことば言葉をいつつ五つおぼえる覚えるようにしています。にっき日記もにほんご日本語でかく書くようにしています。さいしょ最初はみじかい短いぶん文しかかけなかった書けなかったのですが、だんだんながく長くかける書けるようになりました。けんこう健康のために、よるおそく夜遅くにたべない食べないようにしています。おかげで、あさ朝はやく早くおきられる起きられるようになりました。からだをうごかす体を動かすために、しゅう週にさんかい三回じむジムにいく行くようにしています。どりょく努力をつづける続けることで、できなかったことができるようになっていくのがうれしいです嬉しいです。

Because I want to improve my Japanese, I have been making an effort to practise every day for the past six months. At first it was difficult, but recently I have gradually become able to speak a little. Even though I couldn't read kanji at all before, I have now become able to read them to some extent. In order to build my vocabulary, I try to learn five new words every evening. I also try to write my diary in Japanese. At first I could only write short sentences, but gradually I have become able to write longer ones. For the sake of my health, I try not to eat late at night. Thanks to that, I have become able to wake up early in the morning. In order to get moving, I try to go to the gym three times a week. I am happy that by continuing to make efforts, things I couldn't do before have become things I can do.

Grammar

Title	Description
～にする	～ようにする — make a deliberate effort to do something
～よう	～ようになる — a gradual change in state, ability, or habit over time

8.7 Ease, difficulty, and excess

8.9 Logical Expectations

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