Structure
Noun + に + する
Details
Part of Speech
Expression
Word Type
Verb
Register
Standard
About にする
にする is a structure that combines the に particle (a location/target), with the verb する. It means to 'make/decide' something in a certain way. The nuance with にする is that the speaker has direct control over the outcome. This is where the strong feeling of 'choice' comes from. The noun that comes before にする is the thing that is being decided.
In this example, although the common translation is 'to decide', it is actually much closer to the slang expression 'to do (A)' in English. This means that the literal translation is actually 'I'll do a beer', or 'I'll make it a beer'.
Sometimes the particle と is used instead of に. Although this has the same meaning, it changes the nuance slightly. When と is used, it takes away the feeling of being a direct decision. とする tends to be used in more formal situations, but this is only because と is less 'definite', so results in the phrase sounding less pushy.
If you were going to compare these two to an English equivalent, it would be similar to the difference between the following sentences.
に - I'll buy a burger. (A burger is the direct target of 'buy')
と - I'll go with a burger. (You aren't 'going' anywhere, it just sounds softer)
This grammar point may be used for more abstract nouns, and does not specifically need to be 'items'.
Synonyms
Related
Examples
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何にする?
What will you decide on?
今日の晩ごはんは何にする?
What have you decided on for today's dinner?
このかばんにします。
To decide on this bag.
明日の朝ごはんは魚にします。
To decide on fish for breakfast tomorrow.
このレストランにします。
To decide on this restaurant.
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[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 72
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 310
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 129
みんなの日本語 II
Page 120 [CH 44]
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にする – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (13 in total)
mielke
hello @Jake!
I got a review on this together with “shall” (ましょうか), but this item comes after にする, so I was a bit lost on that.
is this an error? shouldn’t this only show up after I review ましょうか?thanks!
mrnoone
Hey @mielke
We will likely replace the sentence, by the way, if you tap on the ましょうか it will show the definitionCheers!
Comebacktomorrow
I’m curious as to why にとする is softer. What role is the と taking on? Is it simply the quotation particle in a capacity outside of standard say/heard/think or is it an odd exception?
My bit of reading makes me think it has to do with:
… acting as if to make a motion to do [verb]. As we have already seen, this translates to “attempt to do [verb]”.
From Tae KimIt feels like a framing device that doesn’t really have any direct English equivalent (that I can think of), which I guess would make sense since we don’t have anything like a quotation particle!
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