N4 Additional Expressions

[Verb]こと/の: meaning, usage and examples

[Verb]こと/の means: nominalization: turns a verb phrase into a noun.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 日本語にほんごを話はなすことは楽たのしいです。

   Speaking Japanese is fun.

2. 泳およぐのは好すきですが、走はしるのは嫌きらいです。

   I like swimming, but I dislike running.

3. 私わたしの趣味しゅみは、写真しゃしんを撮とることです。

   My hobby is taking photos.

4. 鈴木すずきさんが歌うたっているのを聞ききました。

   I heard Ms. Suzuki singing.

When to use it

Turns a verb phrase into a noun so it can be the subject or object of a sentence: 'doing X'. 料理りょうりをするのが好すきです 'I like cooking'. 夢ゆめは医者いしゃになることです 'My dream is to become a doctor'. Both こと and の work in many sentences, but some patterns need one of them.

Nuance

の is more conversational and is used for things perceived directly; こと is more abstract and common in writing. With 見みる, 聞きく and other senses, use の: 子こどもが遊あそんでいるのを見みました. Before です at the end (趣味しゅみは〜ことです) and in fixed patterns such as ことができる, use こと.

Compare

Compare 〜ことがある (experience: 行いったことがある) and 〜ことができる (ability): these fixed patterns cannot use の. Before 好すき, 嫌きらい, 上手じょうず and 下手へた, の is the natural choice in speech, though こと is also correct.

Tip: If the main verb is seeing or hearing, choose の. If the sentence ends in 〜は…ことです, choose こと. Otherwise both usually work.