N4

Deciding to Do: ことにする

Use ことにする to show that the speaker makes a decision after choosing among options, reflecting on a situation, or setting a course of action.

Express a personal decision with dictionary form + ことにする.Use ない-form + ことにする to describe a decision not to do something.Recognize ことにした in narratives where the speaker explains how they chose.

Guided study

What ことにする means

ことにする shows that the speaker decides something. It highlights the act of deciding, not just the plan itself. In reading, it often appears after hesitation, comparison, or reflection.

毎朝日本語を読むことにしました。

I decided to read Japanese every morning.

ことにしました highlights the speaker's own decision.

Interactive word chips will appear once token metadata is added.

今日は電車で帰ることにする。

Today, I think I'll go home by train.

Non-past ことにする can sound like a decision made right now.

Interactive word chips will appear once token metadata is added.