What Does naru Mean?
At its core, naru (なる) is a verb that means “to become,” “to get,” or “to turn into.” It indicates a change from one state to another. For example, if you want to say “It became cold,” you would use naru to express that transformation in Japanese.
How to Use naru in Sentences
To use naru properly, you need to attach it to adjectives or nouns. The way you attach naru changes slightly depending on whether the word is an i-adjective, a na-adjective, or a noun.
Using naru with I-Adjectives
I-adjectives are the adjectives that end with “-i” (い). When you want to say something “becomes [adjective],” change the “-i” ending to “-ku” and add naru after it.
- Example: 寒い (samui) = cold → 寒くなる (samuku naru) = to become cold
- Example sentence: 冬になると寒くなります。 (Fuyu ni naru to samuku narimasu.) = When it becomes winter, it gets cold.
Using naru with Na-Adjectives and Nouns
Na-adjectives and nouns are simpler. You just add “ni” (に) before naru.
- Na-adjective example: 静か (shizuka) = quiet → 静かになる (shizuka ni naru) = to become quiet
- Noun example: 先生 (sensei) = teacher → 先生になる (sensei ni naru) = to become a teacher
- Example sentence: 子供たちは夜になると静かになります。 (Kodomotachi wa yoru ni naru to shizuka ni narimasu.) = The children become quiet at night.
Common Patterns and Examples with naru
Here are some common patterns you’ll encounter when using naru to express change:
- Adjective (i) → -ku naru: 美味しい (oishii, delicious) → 美味しくなる (oishiku naru, becomes delicious)
- Na-adjective/noun → ni naru: 有名 (yuumei, famous) → 有名になる (yuumei ni naru, becomes famous)
- 時間になる (jikan ni naru): It becomes time (for something)
- 大人になる (otona ni naru): To become an adult
Expressing Gradual Change with natteiku
Sometimes you want to express that a change is happening gradually. In such cases, use the form natteiku (なっていく), which implies a process over time.
- Example: 日本語が上手になっていく。 (Nihongo ga jouzu ni natteiku.) = My Japanese is gradually getting better.
Negative and Past Forms of naru
To express that something did not become a certain way, or already became a certain way, simply conjugate naru as you would any verb.
- Negative: ならない (naranai) = does not become
- Past: なった (natta) = became
- Example: 雨が降らなくなった。 (Ame ga furanaku natta.) = It stopped raining. (Literally: It became where it doesn’t rain.)
Practical Tips for Using naru in Conversation
- Listen for naru in real-life conversations or Japanese media; it’s used frequently to describe changes in seasons, moods, weather, and more.
- Practice transforming adjectives and nouns with naru to get comfortable with the patterns.
- Try using natteiku to talk about gradual improvement, such as your language skills with Talkpal!
Conclusion
Mastering naru opens up a wide range of expressions for talking about change in Japanese. Whether you’re discussing the weather, your personal growth, or everyday occurrences, naru is an indispensable verb. Keep practicing these forms, and soon you’ll notice your Japanese skills themselves natteiku – gradually improving! For more tips and practice materials, be sure to explore other articles on the Talkpal AI language learning blog and continue your journey to Japanese fluency.
