ことになる — It has been decided / It turns out
Expresses that something has been decided or arranged, typically by external forces or circumstances rather than the speaker's own choice. Also expresses a natural outcome.
Structure
[Verb dictionary / plain negative] + ことになる / なった
Examples
来月から東京に転勤することになりました。
Raigetsu kara Toukyou ni tenkin suru koto ni narimashita.
It has been decided that I'll transfer to Tokyo from next month.
External / company decision → ことになった
会議は来週行われることになった。
Kaigi wa raishuu okonawareru koto ni natta.
It was decided that the meeting will be held next week.
行われる (passive) + ことになった = arranged externally
健康のために毎日歩くことになった。
Kenkou no tame ni mainichi aruku koto ni natta.
It came about that I walk every day for my health.
歩く + ことになった = outcome/arrangement (e.g. doctor's orders)
• ことになる (external / natural decision) vs ことにする (personal decision): 転勤することになった (the company decided) vs 転勤することにした (I decided to transfer). • ことになっている = it has been arranged / it is the rule: 9時に来ることになっている (I'm supposed to come at 9).
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ことになる is tested against.
vs ことにする
ことにする is YOUR own deliberate decision; ことになる presents the result as decided by circumstances or others, even if you were involved.
vs ことになっている
The 〜ている form describes a standing rule/arrangement already in effect ('is supposed to'); ことになった reports the moment/fact of the decision.
More grammar patterns
- こと — Nominalizer (turning verbs into nouns)
- ことがある — Have experienced / Sometimes happens
- ことにする — Decide to / Make it a rule to
- 〜方 (かた) — Way / Method of doing (how-to)
- 〜たり〜たり — Do things like… and… (representative actions)
- ということ — The Fact That / Meaning That
- ところ — About To / In the Middle / Just Finished (Timing)
- と思う — I think / I believe
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