Translated examples
毎日日本語を聞くようにしています。
I try to listen to Japanese every day.
忘れないようにしてください。
Please make sure not to forget.
早く寝るようにします。
I will try to go to bed early.
甘いものを食べすぎないようにしています。
I try not to eat too many sweets.
Meaning
〜ようにする means to try to, make sure to, or make a habit of doing something. It expresses conscious effort or a rule the speaker sets for themselves or others.
Formation
Use the dictionary form or negative form of a verb before ようにする. In ongoing habit sentences, ようにしている is common. In requests or instructions, ようにしてください is common.
Usage
Use this pattern when talking about habits, self-improvement, reminders, and intentional behavior. It is common with health goals, study routines, and workplace instructions.
Nuance
This pattern focuses on effort rather than guaranteed success. 毎日運動するようにしています means I try to exercise every day, not necessarily that I never miss a day.
Comparison
Compared with 〜ようになる, 〜ようにする describes effort or intention. 〜ようになる describes the change that happens as a result. Compared with 〜ことにする, it often feels more like a continuing effort or habit.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using 〜ようにする when the speaker wants to say that a change already happened. In that case, 〜ようになる is usually better.
Related Grammar
〜ようになる
〜ようになる expresses a change into a new state, habit, or ability, especially something that has become possible over time.
〜ようにする・〜ようになるの違い
This page compares 〜ようにする and 〜ようになる: making an effort versus a change that has happened.
〜ことにする
〜ことにする means to decide to do or not do something. It emphasizes the speaker's or subject's own decision.
〜ことにする・〜ことになるの違い
This page explains the difference between 〜ことにする and 〜ことになる: deciding by oneself versus having something decided or arranged.