Japanese with Manga
Learning through examples in manga

Scheduled to stay the night with 〜ことになっている

Grammar Explanation: Past decision still in effect with 〜ことになっている

Manga panel from ふだつきのキョーコちゃん showing example of Scheduled to stay the night with 〜ことになっている.
ふだつきのキョーコちゃん » Volume 5 » Page 110

After a day playing at the beach, Hikari asks Shindou when someone is coming to pick everyone up. Shindou says it will be “tomorrow evening”.

神藤(しんどう):
「今日(きょう)はウチの別荘(べっそう)に泊(と)まることになっているって言(い)っただろう？」
“Didn't I say we're scheduled to stay the night at my villa?”

Key Points

  1. 泊まることになっている means the arrangement is already set

    • The group is scheduled to stay at Shindou’s villa tonight.

    • The pattern points to an existing plan, not a decision being made in this moment.

  2. って言っただろう reminds the listener

    • Shindou says he already told them this.

    • だろう expects Hikari to recognize or remember the information.

  3. 今日は frames the specific time

    • 今日(きょう)は limits the arrangement to tonight.

    • Tomorrow evening pickup only makes sense because tonight has already been decided.

See Also