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Read Japanese, beautifully.

N4

Making a Choice with 〜にする

About 8 minutes · written and reviewed by Haruki Yamamoto

Section 1 of 3

Choosing among options

〜にする means “to choose” or “to go with” something. It is very common in everyday conversation when a speaker selects one option from a known set.

  1. Target signal

    私はコーヒーにします。

    I’ll have coffee.

    〜にする selects one option from a known set.

    Vocabulary notes
    コーヒー
    coffee
    します
    do
    しま
    stripe; striped pattern

  2. Compare in context

    赤いのにします。

    I’ll take the red one.

    の can stand for an understood noun: 'the red one'.

    Vocabulary notes
    します
    do
    しま
    stripe; striped pattern
    のに
    even though; although

Section 2 of 3

Common planning patterns

The expression also appears when people decide times, places, or other details. In that case, it still has the core meaning of choosing one option and settling on it.

  1. Target signal

    集合は駅前にしましょう。

    Let’s make the meeting place in front of the station.

    The destination or meeting point is chosen as one option.

    Vocabulary notes
    ましょう
    let us; shall we
    しま
    stripe; striped pattern
    前にまえに
    before

  2. Preview

    会議は金曜日にします。

    We'll hold the meeting on Friday.

    Here it means choosing Friday as the date.

    Vocabulary notes
    します
    do
    金曜日きんようび
    Friday
    しま
    stripe; striped pattern

Section 3 of 3

Reading everyday dialogue

Menus, shop talk, and casual conversation often use short question-and-answer patterns with 〜にする. Learning these chunks makes real dialogue much easier to read.

  1. Target signal

    A: 何にしますか。 B: うどんにします。

    A: What will you have? B: I’ll have udon.

    Common short exchange in restaurants or shops.

    Vocabulary notes
    うどん
    udon noodles
    します
    do
    しま
    stripe; striped pattern

  2. Preview

    まだ決めていませんが、たぶんこれにします。

    I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll probably choose this.

    これにします is a set phrase for a final choice.

    Vocabulary notes
    いません
    there is not; there are not (living things)
    します
    do
    たぶん
    probably

Reading in context

Read for meaning before checking the answer

Before you read

Read once for the situation. Then notice how 〜にする changes the meaning before you check the translation.

私はコーヒーにします。 赤いのにします。 集合は駅前にしましょう。 会議は金曜日にします。 A: 何にしますか。 B: うどんにします。 まだ決めていませんが、たぶんこれにします。

Show English translation

I’ll have coffee. I’ll take the red one. Let’s make the meeting place in front of the station. We'll hold the meeting on Friday. A: What will you have? B: I’ll have udon. I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll probably choose this.

Contextual questions

Answer from the passage before you reveal each explanation.

  1. What is the first reading job for this passage?

    • Identify the situation and how 〜にする changes it.
    • Translate every word before using context.
    • Ignore the ending because only vocabulary matters.
    • Choose an answer before reading the full passage.
    Check the answer

    Identify the situation and how 〜にする changes it.

    The goal is to use the situation first, then confirm the role of 〜にする in context.

Guided practice

Apply the lesson in a few different ways

Work through each prompt, then check the explanation before moving on.

Activity 1 of 4Choose the best context

What does コーヒーにします mean in a restaurant?

Activity 2 of 4Fill the blank

Complete the chunk that carries the lesson meaning (〜にする).

私は＿＿＿にします。

Activity 3 of 4Put it in order

Put these related examples back into the order used in the lesson.

  1. 1赤いのにします。
  2. 2集合は駅前にしましょう。
  3. 3私はコーヒーにします。
Activity 4 of 4Infer from the passage

What should guide your interpretation of 〜にする in the mini-reading?

Mastery check 1/3

What does コーヒーにします mean in a restaurant?