Meaning
Turns an action or quality into the topic.
Formation
- Plain form (dictionary, ない or た form) + のは: 勉強するのは楽しいです, 朝ご飯を食べないのはよくないです, 私が買ったのは、あの赤いかばんです
- After an i-adjective の follows directly: 難しいのは漢字です; after a na-adjective you need な
When to use it
- Core use
- Turns an action or quality into the topic
Examples
13 sentences-
日本語を勉強するのは楽しいです
Studying Japanese is fun.
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難しいのは漢字です
What is difficult is kanji.
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私が買ったのは、あの赤いかばんです
What I bought was that red bag.
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重い荷物を一人で運ぶのは危険です
Carrying heavy luggage alone is dangerous.
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自分に合う仕事を選ぶのは大切です
Choosing a job that suits you is important.
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いちばん好きなのは夏です
What I like best is summer.
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高いのはこのかばんです
The expensive one is this bag.
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毎日ニュースを見るのは大切です
Watching the news every day is important.
5 more examples
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昨日会ったのは田中さんです
The person I met yesterday was Mr. Tanaka.
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漢字を書くのは難しいです
Writing kanji is difficult.
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毎朝走るのは気持ちがいいです
Running every morning feels good.
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新しい言葉を辞書で調べるのは大切です
Looking up new words in a dictionary is important.
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この町でいちばん古いのはあのお寺です
The oldest thing in this town is that temple.
Important notes
- のは turns an action or quality into the topic and moves the key information to the end: 読むのは楽しい (reading is fun), 難しいのは漢字です (what is difficult is kanji). It does not add 'most'.
Common mistakes
- The particle after の follows the role of the phrase: 読むのは楽しい (topic) vs 読むのが好き (what is liked). After a na-adjective keep な: 大変なのは.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.
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