～こと (Nominalizer)
Meaning
Turns a verb or verb phrase into a noun phrase, often meaning doing X, the act of X, or the idea of X.
Useful when treating actions as abstract concepts, subjects, or topics.
How to Form
| Verb Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ichidan (る) | Verb (dictionary form) + こと | 食べる → 食べること → the act of eating |
| Godan (う) | Verb (dictionary form) + こと | 飲む → 飲むこと → the act of drinking |
| Past/Negative | Normal conjugation + こと | 食べなかったこと → the fact I didn’t eat |
Examples
-
日本語を勉強することは楽しいです。
Studying Japanese is fun. -
毎朝コーヒーを飲むことにしています。
I make it a habit to drink coffee every morning. -
運動することは体にいいです。
Exercising is good for your body. -
車を運転することができますか？
Can you drive a car? -
夜遅くまで起きていたことがあります。
I have stayed up late at night before.
Notes
- This turns a verb phrase into a noun, so it can function as a subject, object, or part of expressions like:
- ～ことがある (have done)
- ～ことができる (can do)
- ～ことにする (decide to do)
- ～ことになる (it’s been decided that...)
- Often interchangeable with ～の in casual speech, but ～こと is more formal and used in writing or structured grammar.