Use 決める to express a decision in everyday situations.
The idea
決める is a transitive ichidan verb: mark what someone decides with を. Use a choice plus に決める for the option selected, and a dictionary-form verb plus ことに決める for a decision to act. Drop る before ます or て.
| Dictionary form | Polite non-past | Polite negative | Polite past | て form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 決める | 決めます | 決めません | 決めました | 決めて |
Examples
- 私は旅行の日を決めました。I decided the date of the trip.
- 会議で次の予定を決めます。We will decide the next plan at the meeting.
- 昼ご飯はカレーに決めました。I decided on curry for lunch.
- 来年、日本へ留学することに決めました。I decided to study in Japan next year.
- まだ行き先を決めていません。I have not decided on a destination yet.
- 家族と相談してから、名前を決めます。I will decide on a name after discussing it with my family.
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Watch out
決まる is intransitive: a date can be 決まりました when it has been settled, whereas someone 日を決めました actively decided it.
Try it yourself
＿。（決める→ます）
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決めます
決めます is the polite non-past: remove る and add ます.
＿。（決める→て）
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決めて
決めて is the て form: remove る and add て.
日本へ行くことに＿。（決めました／決まりました）
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決めました
決めました expresses the person’s decision to go; ことに決まる instead describes a decision being settled.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
＿。（決める→ます）
＿。（決める→て）
日本へ行くことに＿。（決めました／決まりました）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Decide on a destination and write a sentence with を; then write an action you have decided to take with ことに決めました.