I came across the following expression and I cannot understand how to
translate it 使えるようになりました。

According to Google Translate: "You can now use it". I was wondering how this
translation fits. Where is "now" coming from? If I translate literally then it
sounds like "Became in a manner of being able to use." Is ようになる part of a set
phrase?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-06T00:31:09.637
44102
2017-03-06T01:47:16.243
10476
question
translation meaning
Meaning of 使えるようになりました
> 使えるようになりました。

Literally

> It has come to be usable/in use.

'使えるようになりました' implies that you could not use 'it' before.

So I think the google's translation 'now you can use it.' sounds natural to
me.

If they want to say that you can use something without connoting that you
couldn't use it in the past, they say/write '使用可能です' or 'ご利用ください' and so on
and on. -without using past tense in the sentence.

I have to add that 'ようになる' is a set phrase.

> e.g. その事故のあと、彼はその薬を欠かさないようになった。
>
> After the accident, the drug became indispensable to him.

ようになる emphasizes that there is a change in comparison to the past.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-06T01:09:47.507
44106
2017-03-06T01:47:16.243
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
19858
44102
answer
It might be easier to see it as a set phrase, but it's not really one.

使えるようになりました means "I have become able to use it".

使える is "able to use".  
Which is from the verb 使う -> To use.

なりました is "have become".

You just need something to connect those 2 together and "ように" is it.  
よう can be used in many ways, but it basically means, "looks like, appearing,
similar, etc...".

For example,  
楽しいように見える  
This looks like fun.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-06T01:16:36.840
44107
2017-03-06T01:16:36.840
18142
44102
answer