N4-G-037

Verb (dict.form) + のは + い-adj. / な-adj. + です (Doing X is…)

Core / Nominalization & Describing Actions

👀 Layer A: Visual Guide

📝 Quick Summary

This grammar point uses the particle の (no) as a nominalizer to turn a verb into a noun phrase. This allows you to evaluate or describe an action using adjectives (e.g., “Playing games is fun” or “Learning Kanji is hard”).

Structure: [Verb Dict Form] + のは + [い-adj / な-adj] + です
Example 1: サッカーをする のはたのしいです (Playing soccer is fun).
Example 2: あさはやくおきる のはたいへんです (Waking up early in the morning is tough).

🔗 Connected Grammar:

🔍 Layer B: Deepening

💡 Raya’s Hack

The “NO” Bridge
In Japanese, particles like は (wa), が (ga), and を (o) can only attach to Nouns. You can never attach them directly to a Verb!

Think of の (no) as a bridge or a magic wrapper. Wrapping a Dictionary Form verb in “の” turns it into a noun block so particles can safely touch it.
– ❌ たべるはたのしいです
– ⭕ たべるのはたのしいです (Eating is fun)

🚧 Joy’s Mistake

Scene: Joy is talking about his night driving experience.

Joy: 「よるうんてんするはあぶないです。」
(Yoru unten suru wa abunai desu.)

❌ Missing the Nominalizer!

Why?

Joy attached the topic particle “は” directly to the verb unten suru. This is ungrammatical in Japanese. To talk about “driving at night” as a concept or subject, he must place の between the verb and “は”.

Correct: 「よるうんてんするのはあぶないです。」 (Driving at night is dangerous.)