Japanese grammar · ≈ JLPT N4 · Beginner 3
〜くします／〜にします~ku shimasu / ~ni shimasu
make something a certain way
Use 「〜くします／〜にします」 when someone changes an object or situation to a desired state.
How it works
Look at the picture: the flame gets smaller. Who turned the knob in the middle? This sentence says someone turns down the heat.
This expression says someone acts to bring something into a desired state. The focus is on a change caused by a person.
Mark the thing being changed with 「を」. 「火を弱くします」 means “turn down the heat.”
For an い-adjective, remove 「い」 and add 「くします」. For example: 「小さい→小さくします」.
How do you prepare the meat? Answer with 「柔らかくします」 to say you make the meat tender.
Add 「にします」 directly to a な-adjective stem. For example, 「静かにします」 means to make the surroundings quiet.
Add 「にします」 after a noun. 「きつね色にします」 means to fry food until golden brown.
「弱い」 only describes the flame as low. 「弱くします」 says someone adjusts the heat to make it lower.
Look back at the three rows. What word class describes the resulting state? Identify the word class first, then choose 「く」 or 「に」.
Example sentences
- 小さくchiisakuしますshimasu
Make it smaller.
- きつねkitsune色iroにniしますshimasu
Cook it until it turns golden brown.
In a conversation
- A肉をどうしますか。
A: How do you prepare the meat?
- B柔らかくします。
B: I make it tender.
- A火はどう
Check yourself
Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
I make the onions smaller.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
玉ねぎを します。
I'll cut the onion into small pieces.
More grammar in this theme
- 〜くします／〜にしますmake something a certain way