にするni suru“to decide on”

にする means to decide on or to go with something. It is the JLPT N5 pattern you use when you pick one option: 私はこれにします — I’ll take this one.

Every time you order at a restaurant in Japan, you’ll hear it. The server asks 何にしますか (what will you have?), and you answer with a noun + にします. It’s short, natural, and much more idiomatic than trying to say “I want” or “I choose” word for word.

Noun + にします — "I'll go with ~." The choice is made by you, right now.

What does にする mean?

Literally, にする is “make it into ~”: the particle に marks the result, and する means “do / make.” When you say コーヒーにします, you’re saying “I make my choice coffee.” In English that becomes:

• I’ll have ~ / I’ll take ~ (ordering)
• I’ll go with ~ / Let’s go with ~ (choosing)
• We decided on ~ (reporting a decision, with にしました)

The important idea is active choice. There were options, and the speaker (or the group) picked one.

The same にする also has a second meaning, “to make something become ~” (部屋をきれいにする — make the room clean). That use takes を and an adjective or noun result, and it is covered in the N4 post on にする (make something become). This page is about choosing and deciding.

How to form にする

Put the chosen noun before に, then conjugate する.

The tense of する tells you when the decision happens:

• にします — deciding now: ラーメンにします (I’ll have ramen).
• にしました — the decision is already made: 旅行は京都にしました (we decided on Kyoto for the trip).
• にしましょう — suggesting a choice to the group: 昼ご飯はカレーにしましょう (let’s have curry for lunch).
• にしますか — asking someone to choose: 飲み物は何にしますか (what would you like to drink?).

Casual versions drop the ます: これにする (I’ll take this), 何にする? (what are you getting?).

The chosen thing is often set up first with は: 飲み物はお茶にします — “as for drinks, I’ll have tea.” The は names the category; に marks the pick.

When is にする used?

• Ordering food and drinks. This is the most common use by far. When the server comes, にします is your default answer.
• Shopping. Holding up two shirts: じゃあ、こちらにします — OK, I’ll take this one.
• Group plans. Setting a time or place: 待ち合わせは駅にしましょう — let’s meet at the station.
• Reporting decisions. 誕生日のプレゼントは本にしました — I went with a book for the birthday present.

にする is neutral. The ます-form is fine with staff, teachers, and strangers; the plain form is for friends. Unlike 〜がいいです (~ would be good), にします sounds decisive — you’re not just giving a preference, you’re finalizing the choice.

にする example sentences

In each sentence there is a set of options, even if it isn’t spoken: a menu, two bags, possible travel destinations, possible meeting times. にする always picks from a set.

Nuance of にする

にする puts the decision in the speaker’s hands. That can be useful — it sounds confident and clear — but it also matters socially. When you report a group decision with にしました, you’re saying “we chose this.” If the decision came from someone else (a boss, the schedule, circumstances), Japanese speakers switch to になりました.

A second nuance: にします in a restaurant is not a request (“please give me”) but a statement of choice. It is polite because it lets the server handle the rest. Adding お願いします after it (ラーメンにします。お願いします) is common but not required.

💡 Tip: Can't decide? どれにしようかな means "Hmm, which one should I get?" — a phrase you'll hear constantly in shops and restaurants.

にする vs になる

These two look almost the same but point in opposite directions. なる is about what happens; にする is about what someone chooses.

Both sentences share the same outcome (Friday) but tell a different story. にしました says “we picked it.” になりました says “that’s how it was settled,” which sounds more modest and is common in business announcements even when someone did choose. With physical changes, only なる works: 水が氷になります (water becomes ice) — nobody chose that.

Common mistakes with にする

Is にする on the JLPT?

Listening questions often include a fake-out: the customer first says one item, then switches with やっぱり or じゃあ. The last 〜にします is the answer.

Practice questions for にする

Learning path for にする

Related grammar to review next

• なる — the “it became / it turned out” partner; the key contrast for choice vs outcome.
• ましょう — pairs with にする to propose a choice: 〜にしましょう.
• つもり — talks about plans you already hold, while にする marks the moment you choose.
• ことにする — the N4 form for deciding to do an action rather than choosing a thing.
• にする (make something become) — the other にする: AをBにする, changing something into a new state.

Learn にする with Hane

Hane practices にする in short ordering and planning dialogues, and puts にしました next to になりました so you feel the difference. Practice with Hane.