Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 10: 20/21

は～となっているIt is (has been), Have/has become, Happen to be, Has been established

Structure

［な］Adjective + となっている
Noun + となっている

Details

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    Formal

About ～は～となっている

(A) は (B) となっている is a common expression used to show that '(A) is becoming (B)', or (more commonly) '(A) has become (B)'. This expression will only appear with nouns, or な-Adjectives in their 語幹(ごかん) (stem form). (A) は (B) となっている is often translated as '(A) happens to be (B)', '(A) has been established as (B)', or 'it has been decided that (A) is (B)'.

Let's have a look at some examples, and then how this structure is formed.

Despite the different translations, (A) は (B) となっている always has the same meaning, which can be understood as follows:

(A) は - (A) is a constant unchanging thing.

(B) と - (B) is a result. (coming from the case marking particle と's role in highlighting results.)

なっている - (A) is existing in the state 'having arrived at the result of (B)'.

Due to this, the literal translation may be thought of as 'it is now that (A) is (B)' in almost all situations.

Caution

(A) は (B) となっている may be rephrased to (A) は (B) になっている. However, に will remove much of the feeling of a 'result', or 'finality'. Due to this, it will just sound like (A) is becoming (B), but is not necessarily that way yet.

  • 今(いま)の時代(じだい)にはインターネットは必要(ひつよう)になっている。
    It is now that the internet is becoming necessary in the present age.

Caution

In writing, おる is not always considered a 'formal' equivalent of いる, especially in set phrases. となっている is often seen as となっており, instead of となっていて. This is particularly common in news articles.

  • このイベントは来月(らいげつ)5日(か)からとなっており、明日(あした)から前(まえ)売(う)り券(けん)を買(か)うことができる。
    It is now that next month's event from the 5th has pre-order tickets that are purchasable from tomorrow.

Examples

--:--

    納期限(のうきげん)は４月(しがつ)３１日(さんじゅういちにち)までとなっています。

    The due date of the tax payment has been established as April 31st.

    アメリカをはじめとして、電気(でんき)は主要(しゅよう)な光源(こうげん)となっている。

    Starting with the USA, electricity has become the main source of light.

    中国(ちゅうごく)では男性(だんせい)の女性(じょせい)に対(たい)する割合(わりあい)は１１８対(ひゃくじゅうはちたい)１００(ひゃく)となっている。

    The proportion of men to women in China happens to be 118 to 100.

    フランツ・フェルディナント大公(たいこう)の暗殺(あんさつ)が開戦(かいせん)の原因(げんいん)の一(ひと)つとなっている。

    The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been established as one of the causes of war.

    それが標準(ひょうじゅん)となっていて他(ほか)の方法(ほうほう)はほとんど使用(しよう)されない。

    That has become a standard, and other methods are hardly used.

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      ～は～となっている – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        it is (has been)
        have/has become
        happen to be
        has been established

        Structure

        • Noun + は / が + Noun + となっている
        • Noun + は / が + な-Adjective + となっている

        となっている can also appear as a conjunctive:
        となっていて or となっており¹

        [Very often translated as “to be”・Can be rephrased to になっている, but となっている is more formal and has more of a sense of finality]

        [Expresses that some change has happened and persists or implies that something has reached its final stage]

        [Often used to explain/convey a new fact to readers/listeners (e.g. in comparison with the previous state of something, expressing a rule, tradition, etc.)]

        [¹In writing, ており is

      • MZa

        MZa

        Could you explain why the と particle is used here? With which meaning? If it is as the quotation particle, i don’t see the logic behind it.

      • jptr

        jptr

        "The verb なる means to be or to become, to turn into.

        Adding と and に in front it changes the meaning a bit.

        The basic differences? While になる is a natural change, となる implies having reached a final stage."

        From this article:
        https://maggiesensei.com/2010/12/10/となる-vs-になる　-to-naru-vs-ni-naru/

      • blacktide

        blacktide

        Based on the post below on Japanese StackExchange, it seems that it’s the quotative particle, although I can’t find a good explanation to why.

        Here are some detailed nuances based on my studies.

        となる is similar to になる but with the following changes:

        • となる can only be used with nouns.
        • となる is more formal and not used often in conversation.
        • となる has a dramatic tone.
        • となる implies reaching a “final stage” as @jptr menti...
      • okayfrog

        okayfrog

        <...
      • nekoyama

        nekoyama

        The grammar point for the formal conjunctive is a bit earlier in N3, but いる is a special case: It’s not used in this form and instead replaced with おる.

      • okayfrog

        okayfrog

        oh that grammar point. tbh, I never really understood that point.

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