6

According to http://www.guidetojapanese.org/surunaru.html:

Since potential verbs describe a state of feasibility rather than an action [...] it is [sic] often used in conjunction with 「～ようになる」 to describe a change in manner to a state of feasibility [...]

（１）　日本に来て、寿司が食べられるようになった。 - After coming to Japan, I became able to eat sushi.

（２）　一年間練習したから、ピアノが弾けるようになった。 - Because I practiced for one year, I became able to play the piano.

（３）　地下に入って、富士山が見えなくなった。 - After going underground, Fuji-san became not visible.

Why does sentence (3) not use ようになる? What is the difference with the other two cases?

chocolate
  • 65,531
  • 5
  • 99
  • 204
CharlesM
  • 163
  • 3

1 Answers1

7

To correctly and naturally use the construct:

「Potential Verb + ようになる」

the potential verb needs to be in the affirmative form as shown in the examples you quoted -- 「食{た}べられるようになる」 and 「弾{ひ}けるようになる」.

There is no 「ように」 used in the last example 「見えなくなった」 because it uses the negative form of 「見える」.

Thus, the correct forms are:

Affirmative (to become able to): 食べられるようになる、弾けるようになる、見えるようになる, etc.

Negative (to become unable to): 食べられなくなる、弾けなくなる、見えなくなる, etc.

A bit tricky, I know, but this grammar point is very important and useful.