にする・くする
Adjective + する, To make something/someone (more)
Structure
［い］Adjective［く］+ する
Noun + に + する
Explanation
When attached to an adjective, にする (for な-Adjectives) or くする (for い-Adjectives) is used to express the idea of 'making something (Adjective)'.
Similar to the にする grammar that indicates a choice, this form shows that the speaker is actively and directly causing the change to happen.
- この部屋をもっと静かにする方法はありますか？Is there a way to make this room quieter?
- 複雑な話を簡単にするのは難しい。It's hard to make a complicated story simple.
- テレビの音を小さくするよ。いい？I'm going to turn the TV down. Is that okay?
- このスープを辛くするために、唐辛子を入れてください。Please add chili peppers to make this soup spicier.
Essentially, this structure converts the adjective into its adverbial form, which then modifies the verb する to mean that the state described by the adjective is being actively brought about.
Fun Fact
にする belongs to a group of four common grammatical patterns in Japanese that indicate the speaker's degree of influence over an action or its result. Ranked from the highest to lowest degree of influence, they are:
にする - High degree of control. The speaker or subject can directly cause the change themselves.
になる - High degree of control. A change occurs naturally or is initiated by the subject, but there is no direct object being acted upon.
とする - Moderate degree of control. The speaker or subject attempts an action, but external circumstances (like difficulty or other people) can affect the outcome.
となる - Low degree of control. The speaker or subject has little to no influence over the outcome, which is typically the result of external forces or a natural progression of events.
Examples
もう少し値段を安くしてください。
Please make the price a little cheaper.
部屋を綺麗にしたから、友達を呼んだ。
I cleaned my room, so I invited a friend over. (Literally - I made it clean)
髪の色を明るくしてもらった。
I had someone make my hair color brighter.
図書館では静かにして過ごした方がいい。
It's better to be quiet while at the library. (Literally - Do quiet)
この写真を明るくしたいです。
I want to make this photo brighter.
荷物を軽くして旅行に行きたい。
I want to make my luggage lighter and go on a trip.
毎日の生活を楽しくする方法を知っていますか。
Do you know any ways to make everyday life more fun?
この部屋の壁を青くしてほしい。
I want you to make the walls in this room blue.
子供の将来を豊かにするにはどうすればいいですか。
What should I do to make my child's future richer?
店員さんがとても丁寧にしてくれた。
The store clerk treated me very politely. (Literally - Did polite for me)
テレビの音を大きくしすぎだよ。
You made the TV volume too loud.
話を複雑にしないでください。
Please don't make the story complicated.