← Back to Lesson 38

Measuring the pages… The rules across the sheet are where this printer breaks the page. Save as PDF from the print dialog's destination list; everything on the sheet is readable without “Background graphics”.

復習

Lesson 38 — の (nominalizer) ·強調構文きょうちょうこうぶん

BOOK II · 初級 II みんなの日本語 · Mini no Nihongo

L38 · の nominalizer

Name Date

REFの (nominalizer) ·強調構文きょうちょうこうぶん

Turning a verb phrase into a noun: dict form + の

ParticleUsed withExample
evaluation: 大変たいへん· 難むずかしい · 面白おもしろい · 楽たのしい

の vs こと

Use のUse ことEither
concrete perception: 見みる · 聞きく · 待まつ · 手伝てつだう

With verbs of direct perception (見みる · 聞きこえる),only の works: 「彼かれが歌うたうのを聞ききました」○ / 「歌うたうことを聞ききました」✕

Cleft sentence: 〜のは … です

Puts the spotlight on one element of the sentence.

NeutralCleft (spotlight)

Inside the の-clause the subject switches to が (same rule as L22). The spotlighted element moves to the end after です.

What can be spotlighted

place
time
person
thing

Set expressions会話かいわ

Key vocabulary

育そだてます片かたづけます集あつめます通とおります遅おくれます間まに合あいます建たてます植うえます飼かいます楽らく大変たいへん不便ふべん宿題しゅくだい準備じゅんび片かたづけ洗濯せんたく掃除そうじ約束やくそく忘わすれ物もの生活せいかつ

詳説 In depth — grammar notes

Turning a verb phrase into a noun: dictionary form + の

Japanese has no infinitive and no *-ing* noun. Instead you take a whole plain-form clause and glue の on the end; the result behaves exactly like a noun and takes が, を, は as needed.

ClauseAs a nounWhole sentence
JapaneseEnglish
I like watching films.
Studying Japanese is interesting.
Getting up early is hard.
I forgot to turn off the light.
Did you know he got married?
I'm waiting for him to help.

The clause before の is always plain form. ✕ · ○. A な-adjective or noun takes な: .

の vs こと

Both nominalise. Which one you can use depends on the verb that follows.

Following verbUseExample
perception: の only
の only
こと only
either
either, の is more spoken

Rule of thumb: if the action is right there in front of you — you can see it, hear it, wait for it, help with it — use の. If it is an abstract fact or an ability, use こと.

Cleft sentences: 〜のは … です

Move whatever you want to spotlight to the end and let の carry the rest. The が inside the clause never becomes は.

NeutralSpotlighted

What can go in the spotlight

SpotlightExample
place
time
person
thing
reason

Inside the clause the subject takes が, never は: ✕ · ○.

Error table

✕○Why
plain form before の
できます takes こと
perception verbs take の
な-adjective keeps な
clause subject takes が

Try translating

EnglishJapanese
I like listening to music.
Getting up early is hard.
I forgot to lock the door.
Did you know she's going back home?
It was in Osaka that I was born.
The one who helped me was Mr Yamada.

練習 Practice — 7 questions

  1. Q1 nominalizer + が

    'I like drawing pictures.'

    の
    が
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A dict + のが +好すき/上手じょうず/下手へた
  2. Q2 nominalizer + は

    'Getting up early is tough.'

    の
    は
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A dict + のは + evaluation
  3. Q3 のを忘れる

    'I forgot to bring an umbrella.'

    の
    を
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B dict + のを忘わすれました
  4. Q4 のを知る

    'Do you know that Tanaka got married?'

    の
    を
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A Subject inside the clause takes が; のを知しっています
  5. Q5 cleft sentence

    Cleft: 'It was in Hokkaido that I was born.'

    の
    は
    …
    で
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B が inside the clause + 〜のは + spotlight + です
  6. Q6 cleft sentence

    Cleft: 'The thing I bought yesterday is this book.'

    の
    は
    …
    で
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A た-form + のは … です
  7. Q7 のが + 下手

    'I'm not good at singing.'

    の
    が
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A 上手じょうず/下手へたpair with のが

解答 Answer key

  1. Q1 A dict + のが +好すき/上手じょうず/下手へた
  2. Q2 A dict + のは + evaluation
  3. Q3 B dict + のを忘わすれました
  4. Q4 A Subject inside the clause takes が; のを知しっています
  5. Q5 B が inside the clause + 〜のは + spotlight + です
  6. Q6 A た-form + のは … です
  7. Q7 A 上手じょうず/下手へたpair with のが