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← All Lessons 26–50

Minna no Nihongo - Lesson 36

Complete Grammar Guide

Talking about purpose and change with goal-oriented ように, changes in ability and habit with ようになります, conscious effort with ようにします / ようにしています, polite requests with ようにしてください, and giving examples with ～とか～とか.

Core idea of Lesson 36: Japanese often uses よう when talking about a desired result, a change in ability or habit, or a repeated effort to make something happen. A useful mental image is “so that it becomes the case that…”.

Lesson 36 at a glance

1. VようにV

Do an action so that a desired result becomes possible or true.

2. Vようになります

Become able to do something, or begin doing something as a new habit.

3. Vようにします

Make a conscious effort to do or avoid doing something.

4. ～とか～とか

Give representative examples: “things like A and B.”

1. V1 ように V2 — “do V2 so that V1 happens”

V1 dictionary form + ように + V2 V1 ない-form + ように + V2

This pattern expresses an aim, desired result, or objective. V1 is the result you want, and V2 is the action you take to achieve that result.

Reading the sentence in order:
Read the sentence in this order:
“I do V2 so that V1 becomes possible / happens / does not happen.”

The action in V2 is under someone's control. The result in V1 is often something that cannot be commanded directly, such as being able to do something, something arriving, being heard, being seen, or somebody not worrying.

Example 1 — So that something arrives early

Hayaku todoku yō ni, sokutatsu de dashimasu.

I'll send it by express mail so that it arrives early.

Goal: = it arrives early
Action: = send it by express mail

Example 2 — So that you can do something

Nihon de hatarakeru yō ni, Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.

I study Japanese so that I can work in Japan.

Why 働ける?
= to work
= can work

The goal is not merely “work.” The goal is to become capable of working in Japan, so the potential form is natural.

Example 3 — So that something can be heard clearly

Hakkiri kikoeru yō ni, ōkii koe de hanashite kudasai.

Please speak loudly so that you can be heard clearly.

This is natural when speaking to a group, recording audio, using an online meeting system, or speaking to someone who is far away.

Negative goal: Vない + ように

Kazoku ga shinpai shinai yō ni, denwa shimasu.

I'll call so that my family won't worry.

With a negative goal, use the normal ない-form directly before ように:
= so that I don't forget
= so that I won't be late
= so that I don't make a mistake

More real-life examples

I'll make a note on my phone so that I don't forget.

I'll set two alarms so that I can wake up in the morning.

I'll write the letters large so that the people in the back can see them too.

I'll leave home early so that I won't miss the train.

Extra clarification: ように vs ために

Both can express purpose, but they are not identical. At this level, a practical rule is:
  • ように is especially natural with potential verbs, negative goals, and results that are not completely under direct control.
  • ために is especially natural when someone deliberately performs one controllable action for another clear purpose.

I practice every day so that I can speak Japanese.

Do not force a one-word English translation for ように. Depending on the sentence it may naturally become “so that,” “in order to be able to,” “so as not to,” or “make sure that.”

2. V dictionary form + ようになります — “become able to / start doing”

Verb dictionary form + ようになります

This pattern describes a change over time. Something that was previously impossible, uncommon, or not part of your behavior becomes possible or habitual.

なる means “to become.” So Vようになります literally has the feeling: “it becomes the case that I do/can do V.”

Use 1 — Change in ability

This use commonly appears with potential verbs.

Mainichi kanji o benkyō sureba, kanji ga yomeru yō ni narimasu.

If you study kanji every day, you'll become able to read kanji.

After using my smartphone every day, I became able to type quickly.

This is extremely useful for learning progress: = “I've become able to speak a little Japanese.”

Use 2 — A new habit begins

The verb does not have to be potential. The pattern can also mean that a behavior which did not happen before has become normal or habitual.

Recently, I started eating breakfast regularly.

Since coming to Japan, I've started eating fish often.

Important: Vようになりました does not mean “I decided to do V.” It describes a change that has developed. If you want to say that you consciously try to create a habit, use Vようにしています, which appears later in this lesson.

Question: ～ようになりましたか

Shopan no kyoku ga hikeru yō ni narimashita ka.

Have you become able to play Chopin's pieces?

No, not yet. I want to become able to play them soon.

3. ～なくなります — “become unable to / stop doing”

Vない → remove い + くなります

When a previously possible action becomes impossible, or a previous habit disappears, Lesson 36 commonly uses ～なくなります.




Use 1 — Something becomes impossible

Because of the lockdown, people became unable to go out freely.

The children became unable to study at school.

Use 2 — An old habit disappears

Pasokon o katte kara, amari terebi o minaku narimashita.

Since buying a computer, I don't watch much television anymore.

Since work became busy, I stopped playing games.

Contrast:
= I started exercising / it became a habit.
= I stopped exercising / no longer exercise.

4. Vようにします / Vようにしています — make a conscious effort

V dictionary form + ようにします / ようにしています Vない-form + ようにします / ようにしています

Use this grammar when you consciously try to develop or maintain a behavior.

ようにします often means “I will make an effort to…” or “I'll make sure to…”
ようにしています emphasizes an ongoing habit or repeated effort: “I make a point of… / I try to…”

Positive habit

Dekiru dake mainichi jogingu suru yō ni shite imasu.

I try to jog every day as much as possible.

I try to save 50,000 yen every month if possible.

Natural daily examples:

Negative habit: Vないようにしています

Because I have trouble sleeping at night, I try not to use electronic devices before bed.

Because I gained weight, I try not to eat sweets.

This pattern is not a statement that you are always successful. means “I make an effort not to eat it,” not necessarily “I never eat it.”

ようになりました vs ようにしています

Expression Focus Example
Vようになりました A change has happened.
Vようにしています I consciously try to maintain the habit.

The first means “I have started running every morning.”
The second means “I make a point of running every morning.”

5. Vようにしてください — “please make sure to…”

V dictionary form + ようにしてください Vない-form + ようにしてください

This is an indirect request telling someone to make an effort, remember, maintain a habit, or ensure that something happens.

Compare the feeling:

Vてください → “Please do V.” Direct instruction/request.
Vようにしてください → “Please make sure to V / please try to V.” It focuses more on achieving or maintaining a desired behavior.

Habitual or continuing request

Please make sure to follow the rules.

Please make sure to take your medicine every day.

One-time reminder or warning

Please make sure you are not late tomorrow.

Please make sure you don't forget your password.

Not normally used for a simple on-the-spot physical request:
If you want someone to switch off the light now, say:


Do not normally say just to mean “Please turn off the light now.”

6. ～とか～とか — “things like A and B”

Noun A + とか + Noun B + とか Verb plain form A + とか + Verb plain form B + とか

とか gives representative examples. It has the feeling of “A, B, and things like that.” The list is deliberately incomplete.

Unlike a complete list, ～とか～とか tells the listener: “These are examples; there may be other things too.”

On my days off, I do things like dancing and swimming.

On weekends, I spend my time doing things like watching movies and reading books.

とか vs や

Expression Typical feel Example
～や～など Neutral list of examples; common in careful speech and writing.
～とか～とか Conversational, loose examples: “things like…”
～とか～とか is especially natural in conversation. In highly formal writing, ～や～など is often the safer choice.

7. Key comparisons

A. VようにV vs Vようになります

I study every day so that I can read kanji. goal

I became able to read kanji. change

B. Vようになります vs Vようにしています

I started eating vegetables. change in behavior

I try to eat vegetables / I make a point of eating them. conscious effort

C. Vないように vs Vなくなります

I make a note so that I don't forget. negative goal

I stopped watching TV / I no longer watch TV. change

8. Real-life mini conversations

Learning Japanese

A: Your Japanese has gotten good.

B: Thank you. I make a point of using Japanese every day.

At work

A: Should I send this email today?

B: Yes. Please send it today so that they can check it tomorrow morning.

Building a healthy habit

A: Have you been exercising lately?

B: Yes. I try to walk every day as much as possible.

9. Common mistakes

Mistake 1: confusing a goal with a change.
= I study so that I can read.
= I became able to read.
Mistake 2: using ようになりました for a deliberate personal rule.
If you mean “I consciously try to do this,” use .
Mistake 3: building the negative change incorrectly.

Not: できないようになりました when the intended basic Lesson 36 meaning is “became unable to do it.”
Mistake 4: translating ようにしてください exactly as “please try to” every time.
In natural English it can also mean “please make sure to…”, especially for reminders and rules.
Mistake 5: thinking ～とか～とか is a complete list.
It gives examples only. The speaker intentionally leaves open the possibility of other examples.

10. Quick cheat sheet

Grammar Core meaning Example
Vる / Vない + ように + V Do something so that a result happens / does not happen.
Vる + ようになります Become able to / begin doing.
Vない → Vなくなります Become unable to / stop doing.
Vる / Vない + ようにしています Make a continuing conscious effort.
Vる / Vない + ようにしてください Please make sure to / try to.
～とか～とか Things like A and B.

11. Practice

A. Choose the correct pattern

  1. I study every day so that I can speak Japanese.
  2. I became able to read kanji.
  3. I try not to eat sweets.
  1. ように
  2. ようになりました
  3. ようにしています

B. Translate into Japanese

  1. Please speak loudly so that everyone can hear.
  2. I started waking up early.
  3. I stopped watching television.
  4. Please make sure not to forget.
  5. On weekends I do things like reading books and watching movies.

Sample answers — other natural wordings are also correct.

C. Identify the meaning

  1. I consciously make a habit of writing kanji every day. Effort/habit.
  2. I have become able to write kanji. Change in ability.
  3. I practice every day so that I can write kanji. Goal/purpose.

12. Final memory rule

Goal: Do something so that a result happens.

Change: It became possible / it became a habit.

Negative change: It became impossible / the habit stopped.

Effort: I make a conscious habit of doing / not doing it.

Request: Please make sure to / try to do it.

Examples: Things like A and B.