<Lesson-31>

In this lesson, you will learn the function of "NO" and "KOTO" which both change a preceding verb into nominal form.( "no"and "koto" can be called as "nominalizer")                                     and their use in expressions with "NO WA" and "NO DESU"  

1, The interchangeability of  "NO（の）"and "KOTO（こと）"

The function of "KOTO", which nominalize verbs, has already appeared in lessons- 14,15. 
"NO" has the same "nominalizer" function as "KOTO" in making a nominal clause. 
This seems to imply that they are interchangeable. 
However, depending on the verb in the main clause, there are sentences in which it is 
impossible to exchange "KOTO" and "NO".

In this lesson, at first, let's examine the sentences in which "koto" and "no" are interchangeable. 
Then, let's see the cases in which they are not interchangeable.

1) Expressions in which "KOTO" and "NO" are interchangeable

The following sentences are examples in which "koto" and "no" are interchangeable.

e.g 
1,私は本を読む（こと or の）が好きです。 
watashi wa hon o yomu ( koto or no ) ga suki desu. 
( I like to read books.) 
* "hon o yomu koto "or "hon o yomu no" =nominal clause 
( reference) watashi wa hon ga suki desu ( I like books)

2,あなたはピアノを弾く （こと or　の）が上手です。 
anata wa piano o hiku ( koto or no ) ga joozu desu. 
( You are good at playing the piano.) *hiku=to play (instrument) 
* "piano o hiku koto" or "piano o hiku no" =nominal clause 
( reference) anata wa piano ga joozu desu. ( You are good at the piano)

3,タバコを吸う（こと or の）は体に悪いです。 
tabako o suu ( koto or no) wa karada ni warui desu. 
( To smoke is bad for the body.) *suu=to smoke  *karada=body 
* "tabako o suu koto" or "tabako o suu no"=nominal clause 
( reference) tabako wa karada ni warui desu. ( Cigarette is bad for the body.)

4,私が日本に行く（こと or の）を知っていますか。　 
watashi ga nihon e iku ( koto or no ) o shitte-masu ka. 
( Do you know I go to Japan?) 
* "watashi ga nihon e iku koto" or "watashi ga nihon e iku no" =nominal clause

5,私が独身（であること orなの）を彼に言わないでください。 
watashi ga dokushin ( de aru koto/ na no ) o kare ni iwanai dekudasai 
( Please don't tell him that I am single.) 
* "watashi ga dokushin dearu koto" or "watashi ga dokushin na no"=nominal clause

<NOTE> 
*As a general rule, the verb or adjective immediately before "koto/no" must be in a  informal tense form. 
*As a general rule, the subject in the nominal clause is followed by "ga" . 
*If the preceiding verb before "no" is the copular verb "da" (the informal tense form of "desu") , "da" must be replaced by "na" 
*If "da" is nominalized by "koto  , it  must be replaced by "de aru". 
 

Exercise 1,  Please insert proper phrases with nominalizer "koto" and "no" in <  > according to the English translation as in the example

e.g  I am good at playing golf. 
      ( with "koto")　私はゴルフをすることが上手です。 watashi wa  gorufu o suru koto  ga joozu desu. 
      ( with "no") 私はゴルフをするのが上手です。　watashi wa  gorufu o suru no  ga joozu desu.

1, I like to listen to jazz music.  *music=おんがく＝音楽 
    ( with "koto") 
    ( with "no")

2, To ask him is a good idea  * to ask A=A に聞く *idea=考え(かんがえ）orアイデア 
    ( with "koto" ) 
    ( with "no")

3, I didn't know he was married to her. *to marry to A=A と結婚（けっこん）する 
    (with "koto") 
    (with "no")

4, Please tell her that I am waiting here. 
    (with "koto") 
    (with "no" )

5, I told him that my father is Japanese. 
    ( with "koto") 
    ( with "no") 
 

Now, let's examine the cases in which "koto" and "no" are not interchangeable.

2) Expressions where "KOTO" cannot be replaced by "NO"

The subordinate clause in sentences in which the main clause verb is "dekiru", "aru" or "wakaru" can be nominalised only by 'KOTO". 
Let's see examples below.

e.g 
1,私は日本に行ったことがあります。 
watashi wa nihon ni itta koto ga arimasu ( I have been to Japan.) 
*<itta no ga arimasu> is incorrect. 
* "koto ga arimasu" is the fixed form to mention experiences

2,私は英語を話すことが できます。 
watashi wa eigo o hanasu koto ga dekimasu.( I can speak English.) 
*<hanasu no ga arimasu> is incorrect. 
*"koto ga dekimasu" is the fixed form to mention possibility.

3,あなたが書いたことが わかりません。 
anata ga kaita koto ga wakarimasen ( I can't understand what you wrote.) 
*<anata ga kaita no ga wakarimasen>is incorrect. 
* "koto" is used with the meaning of "contents". In this case, "no" is impossible to use instead of "koto".

<NOTE> 
*Please apply the general rules mentioned in the above. 
 

Exercise 2 , Please insert proper phrases with "koto" in (  ) according to the translation in < >.

e.g  あなたは( うまにのること) ができますか。 < Can you ride on a horse? > *うま＝horse

1,  私は (              ) があります。 < I have eaten Japanese food in Japan.> 
2,  あなたは(            ) ができますか。< Can you work on this Sunday? > *to work=hataraku 
3,  (           ) が　ぜんぜんわかりません。< I don't understand at all what you said now.> 
4,  あなたは(           ) がありますか。<Have you ever played the guitar *to paly=hiku, *guitar=gitaa 
5,  彼は(            ) ができました。 < He could stop smoking > *smoking=kitsuen, *to stop=yameru 
6,  私は(            ) がわかります。< I understand what you are thinking.> *to think=kangaeru 
 

3) Expressions in which "NO"  cannot be replaced by "KOTO"

Sentences in which the verbs in the main clause are "miru" (to see) or"kiku"( to hear) can use only "NO" to nominalize verbs. 
Let's see examples.

e.g 
1,私は雪が降っているのを見ました。 
watashi wa yuki ga futte-iru no o mimashita. ( I saw the snow falling.) *furu=to fall ( of rain ,snow etc.) 
*< yuki ga futte-iru koto > is wrong.

2,私は彼が海で泳いでいる のが見えました。 
watashi wa kare ga umi de oyoide-iru no ga  miemashita. ( I could see him swimming at the sea) *oyogu=to swim 
*< kare ga umi de oyoide-iru koto> is wrong.

3,私は彼が叫んでいるのを 聞きました。 
watashi wa kare ga sakende-iru no o kikimashita. ( I heard  him  shouting ) *sakebu=to shout 
*<kare ga sakende-iru koto > is impossible.

<NOTE> 
*Please apply the general rules in making nominal clause which is mentioned before. 
 

Exercise 3,  Please insert a proper  nominal clause with "no"in (   ) according to translate 
the English given  in < >.

e.g  私は( あなたが彼女と話しているの）を見た。  < I saw you talking with her.>

1, 私は (                ) を見ました。 < I saw him cry in his room yesterday.> * cry=泣く＝なく 
2, あなたは(          ) が聞こえますか。 < Can you hear him  calling?> *to call=呼ぶ＝よぶ 
3, 私は(            ) を見ました。< I saw you walking on the street.> *to walk=歩く＝あるく, *street=通り＝とおり 
4, 私は(         ) が聞こえます。 < I ( can ) hear she is laughing./her laughing> *to laugh=笑う＝わらう 
5, (           ) が見えますか。 < Can you see many birds perching over there?> *to perch=( とり　が) とまる 
  
 

2, "NO wa　（のは）" for emphatic use

When the nominal clause with "NO" followed by the particle "wa"( e.g kau no-wa, mita no-wa ) is the subject of a sentence 
and is folllowed by a predicate, the sentence acquires a certain emphasis. That is ,  the "no"clause is emphasised 
as a focal topic of the main clause. This emphasis cannot be implied by a nominal clause with "KOTO" (koto wa). 
Here are some examples. ( Please click HERE to hear these sentences below.)

e.g

*  Note again the subject in the nominal clause must be followed by "ga"

Exercise 4  Please make  sentences emphasizing the word  specified  in (   ) using "no wa" form.

e.g  watashi wa kinou kouen de basketball o shimashita. 
     (to emphasize "basketball") watashi ga kinou kouen de shita no-wa basketball desu. 
     (to emphasize "kouen ") watashi ga kinou basketball o shita no-wa kouen ( de) desu.

1,  watashi wa kinou tanaka-san to nihon no eiga o mi-ni ikimashita. 私は昨日、田中さんと日本の映画（えいが）を見に行きました。 
    ( to emphasize "nihon no eiga")=> 
    ( to emphasize "kinou")

2,  chichi wa  kaisha de gozen 9-ji kara gogo 6-ji made hatarakimasu. 父は会社で午前九時から午後六時まで働きます。*働く=to work 
    ( to emphasize "9-ji kara 6-ji made") 
    ( to emphasize "chichi")

3,  rainen watashi-tachi wa nihon ni ryokou-shimasu. 来年（らいねん）、私たちは日本に旅行します。*来年=next year 
    ( to emphasize "nihon") 
    ( to emphasize "rainen")

4,  raishuu no getsu-yoobi ni eigo no shiken ga arimasu. 来週（らいしゅう）の月曜日に英語の試験があります。*来週=next week 
    ( to emphasize "eigo") 
    ( to emphasize "raishuu no getsu-yoobi") 
 

3, "NO desu　（のです）"or "N'desu（んです）" for explicative use

*Let me remind you.  A verb or adjective preceding "NO desu" or "N' desu" should have an informal tense form. 
If the preceding verb is copular verb "da", which is informal form of "desu", "da " changes into "na" before "NO/N desu".

Let's see examples. ( Please click HERE to hear these sentences below.)

1,昨日、海岸で先生にあった（の /ん）です。 
kinou kaigan de sensei ni atta no/n desu. 
( I met with my teacher at the seashore, you know) 
(plain sentence) kinou kaigan de sensei ni aimashita

2,来週は試験な（の/ん）です。 
raishuu wa shiken na no/n desu. ( Next week, there is a test. you know.) 
(plain sentence) raishuu wa shiken desu.

3,今、私は本を書いている（の/ ん）です。 
ima watashi wa hon o kaite-iru no/n desu. ( Right now, I am writing a book, you know) 
(plain sentence) ima watashi wa hon o kaite-imasu.

4, 日本は今、暑い（の/ん）です。 
nihon wa ima atsui no/n desu. ( It is hot in Japan now, you know.) 
(plain sentence) nihon wa ima atsui desu.

Exercise 5, Please translate the following sentences into Japanese using "NO/N desu"

e.g  My dictionary is very useful ,you know=> watashi no jisho wa taihen benri na no desu.

1, I don't smoke, you know. 
2, My son will come back home tomorrow, you know. 
3, American economy is very good now, you see. *economy=けいざい（経済） 
4, I didn't know he is a not-serious man *not-serious=ふまじめ 
5, My friend is now thinking a new job. * job=shigoto *to think =考える＝かんがえる 
6, I can't understand English at all , you know.  * not -at all= ぜんぜん+negative sentence