Home Forums The Japanese Language To Like Doing

This topic contains 8 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by  thisiskyle 13 years, 6 months ago.

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  • #11037

    Jonniez
    Member

    I’ve been wondering about how to do this construction. I think I’ve figured it out, but I want to make sure before I study what I think I’ve figured out:

    読むのが好きです。

    Does that say “(I) like to read,” or am I way off?

    And if I’m not off, can I add in other stuff in the noun phrase up front, like:

    本を読むのが好きです。
    (I) like to read books.

    Thanks in advance!

    • This topic was modified 13 years, 6 months ago by  koichi.
    #11040

    koichi
    Member

    yep! You got it perfect.

    Basically adding that の to the end of a verb makes it the subject/object of your sentence, so you can say anything about that subject.

    Like:

    [本を読むの] が好きです = I like to read books
    [本を読むの] は簡単です = to read books is easy/simple

    [ジョニーさんが本を読む] のを見ました = I saw Jonnie read a book

    Sounds like you got it, tho! :D

    #11042

    koichi
    Member

    P.S. Thank you for helping to fill out the sections without any posts yet! :/

    #11054

    Sheepy
    Moderator

    Koichi, I’d love some advanced lessons on nominalizing. I know its not the easiest subject though.

    Thinks like ~こと and ~の and… I forgot the other one :P. As I think you can say 読むことがすきです。 Although I guess that makes it more a category than an explicit thing.

    ciao…I mean…じゃね ^^

    #11068

    koichi
    Member

    True that – こと works too. The difference between の and こと used in that way are pretty interesting, though, actually.

    こと = talking about something you aren’t personally involved in or close to. You’d use this when you’re talking about things objectively.

    の = talking about something you could be close to, or could be involved with (in some way). You’re a bit more empathetic here.

    So, a sentence like 本を読むのが好きです would be more appropriate, because you’re actually involved with reading a book. I guess it could be objectively stated, but most likely not.

    If you were talking about someone else enjoying reading a book (where you aren’t involved in their reading of a book) こと would be more appropriate.

    Sheepyさんは本を読むことが好きです
    Sheepy likes to read books

    Maybe you told me you like reading books, so I just relayed that info on to someone else.

    So, that overall is the difference, but you’ll see crossover from time to time. I wouldn’t say these rules are as strict as some rules out there, but generally the above differences should hold fairly true.

    GRAMMARARRRRRR!

    #11072

    Sheepy
    Moderator

    They can take our lives, but they can never take OUR GRAMMARRRRRRR

    Oh and I just remembered もの also, but I believe that applies to specific verbs and makes it more of an individual noun lol. Like 食べ物 food vs 食べること eating things lol

    #11083

    missingno15
    Member

    ^
    ^
    awesome, in layman terms. please keep on blowing my mind koichi (in a non sexual way…)

    #11084

    Jonniez
    Member

    Yay! Thanks for the confirmation. GRAMMARRRR is yummy. ^_^

    (and lol that you changed the title)

    文法が大好きです。

    • This reply was modified 13 years, 6 months ago by  Jonniez. Reason: nvm found the button
    #11098

    thisiskyle
    Member

    A related useful little bit is the ことがある expression to say you’ve had the experience of doing something.

    その映画がおもしろい。三回見たことがある。
    That movie is interesting. I’ve seen it three times.

    The こと turns the “三回見た” into a noun that you can posses.

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