How to Say ‘To turn one year old’ in Japanese
1歳になる
1 sai ni naru
[eechi sai nee nah-roo]
💬 Usage Tip: [〜になる] means "to become" or "to turn." So [1歳になる] literally means "to become one year old." Useful pattern: [2歳になる], [3歳になる], and so on.
🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrase is very natural in family updates, especially when meeting in-laws again: "He'll turn one soon" or "She became one." Around this age, family may talk about first-birthday celebrations or growth milestones.
Phrase Breakdown
1歳
1 sai
Words in this phrase
1
1
[eechi]
one
The number one. In this phrase, it helps form the age one year old.
来月で1歳になるそうです。
I heard the child will turn one next month.
歳
sai
[sai]
years old; age counter
A counter for age. Here it is part of 1歳, read いっさい.
甥がもう1歳になる。
My nephew will already turn one.
になる
ni naru
Words in this phrase
に
ni
[nee]
to; into
A particle showing the result or state someone changes into, as in becoming one year old.
赤ちゃんが1歳になる。
The baby will turn one year old.
なる
naru
[nah-roo]
to become
A verb meaning to become or turn into a new state.
来週で1歳になる。
They will turn one next week.
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