nominalizer N4 common casualpolitewritten
〜の — の pronoun: 'one' — stands in for a noun
〜の ・ の
Meaning
① the one (pronoun): the ~ one — stands in for a noun already understood
② nominalizer: ~ing / the act of ~ — turns a clause into a noun, for perceived or concrete events
Key sentence
① the one (pronoun)
赤いのをください。
I'll have the red one, please.
② nominalizer
子どもが公園で遊んでいるのが見える。
I can see children playing in the park.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adnominal clause / adjective | [modifier] + の | 高い → 高いの; 食べている → 食べているの |
Examples
① the one (pronoun)
もっと大きいのはありますか。
Do you have a bigger one?
さっき買ったのはどこ？
Where's the one I bought just now?
② nominalizer
誰かが歌っているのが聞こえた。
I heard someone singing.
走るのは体にいい。
Running is good for your health.
Easily confused with
Notes
- This nominalizing/pronoun の is different from the possessive の (私の本 — my book) and the sentence-final explanatory の (痛いの？ — see のだ).
See 〜の in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜の the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.