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JLPT N4 · Sentence patterns

ようにする (you ni suru)

～ようにする — make an effort to ～, see to it that ～

In short · Shows continuing effort to do something, or to make sure something does or does not happen: “try to ～ / make sure to ～.” It attaches to the dictionary form or ない-form of a verb. It is common for habits and reminders.
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Pattern

  • 動詞辞書形／ない形 ＋ ようにする 食べるようにする (make a point of eating) / 遅れないようにする (make sure not to be late)
  • ようにしている／ようにしてください ている: as a habit. ください: as a request

Ongoing effort

ようにする names the aim: what you try to do or avoid. ようにしている means you do it regularly as a rule. It suggests effort, not a guaranteed result.

Requests and advice

～ようにしてください is a gentle request that you make sure something happens: 遅れないようにしてください. It sounds softer than a direct command. Compare ～ことにする, which is a decision you make once.

Examples

  • 毎日（まいにち）野菜（やさい）を食（た）べるようにしています。

    Mainichi yasai o taberu yō ni shite imasu.

    I make sure to eat vegetables every day.

  • 健康（けんこう）のために、毎日（まいにち）歩（ある）くようにしています。

    Kenkō no tame ni, mainichi aruku yō ni shite imasu.

    For my health, I make an effort to walk every day.

  • 約束（やくそく）の時間（じかん）に遅（おく）れないようにしてください。

    Yakusoku no jikan ni okurenai yō ni shite kudasai.

    Please see to it that you're not late for the appointed time.

Common mistakes

  • Use it for effort, not for one-time decisions. For a decision, say ～ことにする.
  • Only for actions you can control; do not use it with things like 雨が降る.

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