ようにする | Grammar

Structure

[verb (dictionary form)] + ようにする [verb ない-form] + ようにする

Description

ようにする means "make a point of", "make sure to": you put effort into doing something, or with the ない-form into not doing it. It follows the dictionary form or the ない-form, and most often appears as ようにしている for a habit you keep up.

。

I make a point of eating vegetables every day.

。

I try not to look at my phone late at night.

。

I try to walk as much as I can.

ようにする or ようにしている

ようにする is a decision about from now on. ようにしている is an effort you are already keeping up.

。

From now on I'll try to exercise more.

。

I make a point of exercising every day.

ようにする or ようになる

ようにする is the effort. ようになる is a change that has come about, so it is the one that goes with "become able to".

。

I make a point of speaking Japanese every day.

。

I became able to speak Japanese.

Usage notes

These go beyond your own habits.

ようにしてください

As a request, it asks someone to take care to do something, and is softer than a bare てください.

。

Please make sure not to be late.

Making something possible

Before a potential verb or an intransitive verb, ようにする is arranging things so that something can happen.

、。

I made the letters bigger so that people at the back could see too.

。

I'll set it up so that anyone can use it.

Examples

。

I make sure to drink lots of water every day.

。

Please make sure not to be late.

。

I try to walk as much as possible.

。

I'm going to try not to drink alcohol from now on.

。

I make sure to go to bed by 11 p.m. every night.

。

I try not to speak badly of others.

、。

For my health, I started making sure to jog every morning.

。

Make sure you don't forget anything, okay?

。

I make sure not to use my phone during class.

。

I try to speak in Japanese as much as I can.

。

I make a point of getting my child to eat vegetables.

。

Please make sure not to leave the lights on.

References

～ようになる～ようにするimabi.org
ようにするBunpro