〜の
JLPT N4:nominalizer
Turns a verb or clause into a noun, so it can be the subject or object of a sentence: 泳ぐのが好き (I like swimming).
How to form it
- Put の after a plain verb or い-adjective: 泳ぐの, 見るの.
- な-adjectives and nouns take なの: 静かなの.
- Then add the particle the sentence needs: のが好き, のを見た, のは難しい.
Examples
日本語を勉強するのは難しい。
Studying Japanese is hard.
彼が泳ぐのを見た。
I saw him swim.
Notes
- Verbs of seeing and hearing take の, not こと: 歌うのが聞こえる (I can hear someone singing). So do verbs like 待つ and 手伝う: 彼が来るのを待つ (wait for him to come).
- 〜のは〜だ puts the focus on the last part: 私が好きなのはこの歌だ (what I like is this song).
Similar meaning
- 〜ことnominalizer (abstract)
こと also makes a clause a noun; required in set patterns and before だ.
Same form, different meaning
- のpossessive / modifier
の between two nouns shows possession: 私の本.