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A's B (shows possession); the A B
In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
あの 猫ねこの 目めが とても 素す敵てきだ 。 
That cat's eyes are wonderful.
16
彼 女 の パ ソ コ ン は 古 い 。 
Her computer is old.
13
あの 先 生 の 指 導 は 素 晴 ら し い と 評 判 だ 。 
That teacher's guidance is reputed to be wonderful.
19
これ は 誰 の 帽 子 ？ 落 とし 物 か な 。 
Whose hat is this? I wonder if someone lost it.

Getting the sentences
List
の
We're going to focus on the particle の.
Its most common use is to mark possession.
That means it helps create the words "my", "your", "her", "their", etc.
わたし の
あなた の
カオちゃん の
This would be "my" ("I" + の).
This would be "my" ("I" + の).
And this is "your" ("you" + の).
You can use any noun, not just pronouns. This would be "Kao-chan's".
わたし の なまえ
It's used in front of nouns, like this!
It's used in front of nouns, like this!
You've got "I" + の + name (なまえ), which is...
"my name"!
わたし の なまえ は カオ です
Now, let's roll this up with the です verb we learned before.
Now, let's roll this up with the です verb we learned before.
If you recall, we used the basic AはBです, or "A is B" structure.
We know the first half is "My name", and the second part has "カオ" (a name).
So, this sentence reads "My name is Kao." (You didn't forget that my name is Kao, right?)
わたし の おとうと は カオ です
カオ は わたし の おとうと です
Let's try this one. We've got わたし の おとうと (← little brother).
Let's try this one. We've got わたし の おとうと (← little brother).
The second part again contains カオ.
That leaves us with "My little brother is Kao."
Now, you can move the possessive to the 2nd half if you'd like.
Were you to translate this, it would be "Kao is my little brother."
きょう の てんき
にほんご の せんせい
There are a few other uses of の that deal with nouns and don't involve possession. Let's look at one of the more common ones.
There are a few other uses of の that deal with nouns and don't involve possession. Let's look at one of the more common ones.
For example, きょう (today) の てんき (weather) is "today's weather". This adds more information to the second noun.
This example is similar. The base noun せんせい (teacher) is changed to "Japanese teacher" when the にほんご の is added.
This one particle の can help you start to expand your writing and speaking.
This one particle の can help you start to expand your writing and speaking.
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
の
BNoun
Basic Examples:
先生の鞄 (the teacher's bag)

Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

Nothing posted yet!

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!
 
The A one
Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
1
新 し い 靴 は 安 い の を 買 う つもりです 。 
For my new shoes, I plan on buying inexpensive ones.
3
コーヒー は 濃 い の が 好 き な ん だ 。 
For coffee, I like strong ones.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Aい-adjective
 
Aな-adjective な
 
ANoun
 
 
の
Basic Examples:
安いの (the cheap one)

清潔なの (the clean one)

私の (mine)

Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

Nothing posted yet!

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!
 
Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
8
綾子あやこに は その 話 を き ち ん と 伝 え た の ？ 
Did you accurately tell Ayako about that discussion?
8
ち ゃ ん と 宿 題 は やった の ？ 
Did you do all your homework?
16
休 みの 日 は 何 を している の ？ 
What do you do on days off?

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
な
の
Basic Examples:
お茶なの (is this tea?)

Aい-adjective
の
Basic Examples:
寒いの (are you cold?)

AVerb: Casual
の
Basic Examples:
どうしたの？ (What happened?)

Aな-adjective
な
の
Basic Examples:
有名なの (is it famous?)

Related Expressions
だい
Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

「のです」・「のだ」is a separate entry. It's not listed at the site at the time of typing this.
0
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まさむね123
Level: 1

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!
 
A directly modifies B, B of A
Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
15
彼 か ら の メ ー ル が 久 し ぶ り に 届 い た 。 
I got the first email from him in awhile.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
 
ANoun から/へ/で/まで/Etc.
 
 
のBNoun
Basic Examples:
日本の会社 (a Japanese company)

アメリカまでの切符 (a ticket to America)

友達からのプレゼント (a present from a friend)

あなたへの手紙 (a letter for you)

東京でのイベント (an event in Tokyo)

お母さんとの話 (a talk with Mom)

Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

Nothing posted yet!

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!
 
C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
Used as a relative clause to describe C
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
7
あの 髪 の 長 い 人 は 私 の 妹 で す 。 
That person with the long hair is my younger sister.
5
赤 ち ゃ ん の 可愛 い 服 を 探 し て い ま す 。 
I'm looking for clothes that are cute on a baby.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun の Bい-adjective
 
ANoun が/の BVerb: Casual
 
 
CNoun
Basic Examples:
皮の薄いオレンジ (a thin-skinned orange)

Notes
The の is usually written as が if the clause is written as a standalone sentence.
Basic Examples
彼は頭がいいです -> 頭のいい彼
その子は背が高い -> 背の高い子
Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

Nothing posted yet!

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!
 
B who/that is a(n) A
  1. A's B (shows possession); the A B
    In the second usage, A is used to add information to the main noun B
  2. The A one
    Used to abbreviate after a noun has already been mentioned. The の directly replaces the noun.
  3. Follows A; turning the sentence into a question (casual).
  4. A directly modifies B, B of A
    Broadly works as the preposition 'of'
  5. C which/whose A is B. C's A is B
    Used as a relative clause to describe C
  6. B who/that is a(n) A
13
総 理 大 臣 の 佐 藤 さ ん は 近 所 に 住 ん で い る 。 
The Prime Minister Sato lives nearby.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
の
BNoun
Where this grammar is found


Grammar usage notes

Nothing posted yet!

Questions/Discussion

Nothing posted yet!

Discussion about this grammar
This section has been archived, and no new posts can be added. Please use the discussion form(s) above.
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aileen
Level: 1
Isn't there a way to mix んですか/なんですか with the informality of の? Could I do something like this: 本当にそんなに厚い本を一日で読んだなんの？ To mean "You really read a book that thick in one day?"
I am thinking ん だい is a little different but can't put my finger on why...
2
16 years ago
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Avi Drucker
Level: 3
Aren't they just formal and informal versions of the same thing? I think of そうなの and wonder what's going on grammatically myself...
3
14 years ago
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「のです」・「のだ」 is the full version of the "explanatory extension." 「ん です」・「んだ」 is an extremely common spoken (and informally written) contracted variant. But, it can't be used directly after a noun, because then there wouldn't technically be a copula at the end of the sentence. So... 「なのです」・「なんです」(and 「なのだ」・「なんだ」) are used after nouns. Note that the な is actually a morphed だ, and you can see why it is used. When asking for an explanation, obviously all of these things can have a か at the end. So something like: アルバイトに行くのですか？　or （アルバイトに行くんですか？） 彼の自転車なのですか？　　　or （彼の自転車なんですか？） When using the casual form in a question, though, the だ drops out. Notice that in this case you cannot contract の into ん: アルバイトに行くのか？ 彼の自転車なのか？ The above can sound somewhat abrupt (or masculine), so oftentimes people (especially, but certainly not limited to, women) will drop the か. The の is then said with the same rising intonation that the question marker か is usually given. Again, this cannot be contracted to ん: アルバイトに行くの？ 彼の自転車なの？ This form can also be used in non-question statements, in which case there would be no rising intonation on the の: アルバイトに行くの。 彼の自転車なの。
3
13 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
A user noted that this page lacked all the basic usages of the particle. The most basic form..N1のN2 ..where N1 adds information to N2 - not sure how to describe that succinctly. Would love ideas. As for others, I have cross-referenced all of this, but I would love to hear if it is clear enough. 1. N1 の N2 -N1 is a general noun, N2 is usually a name of someone/something that is the same as N1 example: 店員のけいこさん, 子供のけんたくん 2. N1のN1 - N2's N1 (shows possession) 3. Adjective+の - used to abbreviate after the noun has been mentioned. 赤い花 --> 赤いの (the red one) 頑丈な机 --> 頑丈なの (the sturdy one) The big missing one is where it just..adds information. アメリカの大学、木の椅子、etc.. 新潟での祭り
2
13 years ago
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[quote author=マイコー link=topic_id=4891&post_id=25573#rmsg_25573 date=1331604104]The big missing one is where it just..adds information. アメリカの大学、木の椅子、etc.. 新潟での祭り[/quote] I think of it like this: [b]「の」　can either directly modify, or it can correspond to the English preposition [of].[/b] Direct modification would be like 「アメリカの大学」 (American university), or 「四つ葉のクローバー」 (four-leaf clover). Behaving more like [of] would be like 「世の中の男」 (the men of the world), or 「時間の問題」 (a matter of time). [b]Because of this [of] meaning, depending on the situation 「の」 might actually more closely correspond to other English prepositions, like [at], [in], or [on]:[/b] 「二階のエレベーター」 -- the elevator on the second floor (the second floor's elevator) 「公園のテーブル」 -- the table at the park (the park's table) 「本のページ」 -- the pages in the book (the book's pages) Interestingly, while in English we have two separate ways to write the above examples, in Japanese they are both expressed simply with the particle 「の」. Also, in your usage #1, 「の」 essentially equates to the relative clause forms [who is]/[that is] in English. Note that they do the same thing in both languages - modify a noun or noun clause. EDIT: Forgot to mention that 「の」　can also serve in place of the subject marker 「が」　in a modifying sentence, for example: 「頭のいい生徒が手を上げた。」 -- The bright student raised his hand. I have not read anything as yet about the difference in nuance (if any), from what I have heard and seen it is more of a stylistic choice than anything, although I'm not 100% sure on that.
4
13 years ago
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mysticfive
Level: 1966
valymer's usage notes are very good... another very simple one is simply "possessive" or " 's " - even when adding information, the second noun still is in some way belonging to the first...
2
13 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
Ok, I have added several new meanings. I have (under your username) also moved several chunks of valymer's explanations up into the main areas as usage notes, so you retain credit.
2
13 years ago
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mysticfive
Level: 1966
what about when an adjective is used after the の? For example 質のいい製品 or something like that... don't remember if that's somewhere else or not, but I'd feel that would go along with the last usage
1
13 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
Does it always follow the pattern of [N]の[Adj] [N], and can it always/usually be replaced (not in that sentence, but if it were standalone, and not a modifying clause of a noun?
1
13 years ago
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mysticfive
Level: 1966
it's usually in the context of a phrase that would usually take が but then the noun/adjective clause is followed by a noun, if that's what you're referring to...
2
13 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
Added, stuck a few examples showing the comparison between が and の
2
13 years ago
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テリフン
Level: 1
For the 3rd meaning, (C which/whose A is B. C's A is B. Used as a relative clause to describe C) can you also use な-Adjs?
4
13 years ago
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Yes, as in this sentence I pulled off a tumblr feed: 「あなたは、頭の良い女と、顔のきれいな女と、どっちが好き？」
3
13 years ago
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emmy
Level: 3
For the grammar point "The A one" I think the なの construction for なadjectives is quite misleading as in most cases な and い-adjectives only take の. 黒いカバンがある。ピンクのもある。(17.3 million google hits)Generally not ピンクなのもある (165k Google hits) as the grammar would suggest. I wonder if anyone has a better source than Genki 1, chapter 10 to base this on and could perhaps clarify the grammar description? :)
2
13 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
I can show that it is optional :)
2
13 years ago
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Karlla
Level: 892
What about the の that follows other particles? As in 友達からの手紙 --- a letter from my friend 東京までの切符 --- a ticket to Tokyo 母へのプレゼント --- a present for my mother Wouldn't that belong to this topic, too? Or is it in a different section? Sorry to bother. I just got started reading through the grammar section, so I don't know if it appears somewhere else on the site.
4
12 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
I would say, it falls under meaning #5 on the page. I will adjust the page today or tomorrow to reflect the additional information. Thanks! Edit: it's up!
1
12 years ago
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ターラ
Level: 39
I'm trying to understand a usage of の which I can't make fit into any of the above meanings.  I saw a sentence on another site sith a structure like "十時の電車です".  I would have understood that to mean "it's the ten o'clock train", where の has meaning 4 above, but the provided translation is "the train is at ten o'clock".  Is their translation incorrect, or is this a meaning that I'm just not grasping correctly?
0
7 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292
I think "the 10:00 train", as you first put, is much more natural.
0
7 years ago
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Karlla
Level: 892

#4 and #5 have the same construction? Really?

Although I can imagine sth. like 日本からの鈴木さん (= Mr. Suzuki, who is from Japan) for #5, but in case of things, how is it different from #4? I'd like to see more verified example sentences for #5, please.

0
5 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

We are actually in the process of adding more model sentences to the library - we finally have time now that the asset production for adventure mode is done for a couple of months.

#5 jumped down to #6, but it is fixed. The data was right, but it was getting mixed up. #6 should only be A の B.

Here's how to think of #6 - Both A and B are the same thing. Doctor + person, pikachu + pokemon, etc. #4 is broader in its usage.

1
5 years ago
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gdartfow
Level: 1869

It's called apposition, where you have two nouns phrases referring to the same object.

It's usually used either to help uniquely identify it:

* My house, the second one from the left, is up for sale.

* I'm here today with one of my attorneys, Mark Frisby.

Or to provide more information about it, such as clarification, context or explanation:

* Aldebaran, the brightest star in the Taurus constellation, is a red giant.

* A defender of maidens everywhere, Sir Gawain came to her rescue.

In your example, 'who is from Japan' isn't a noun, but a relative clause.

Compare that with: Mr. Suzuki, the Japanese prime minister = 日本の首相の鈴木さん

Since they're both descriptions of the same person, there's no need to modify their relationship with words like 'from' or 'in', as in usage #4.

1
5 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110

Usage 5 is missing something, example from this greatbow item description text from DarkSouls 1:

h0smcd5aef0qatuy7cveqjbgk.png

ゴー の 率いた (の) 隊
The construction under 5 doesn't mention that verbs can be used
Also correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that grammar point should mention that in the first particle spot の/が are interchangeable, I think that

ゴー が 率いた (の) 隊
would still be correct

0
4 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

Your explanation sounds correct to me, but let me check on it first before I make any updates!

1
4 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

I added it! Not sure if the definition should be adjusted without making it overly complicated in meaning.

1
4 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110

Just found something else missing about の, though is more like のだ/のです so maybe it needs its own entry.
example sentence:

早く食べるんだ＝"eat it"

As a native explained it to me:
a command, but the feeling is, "this is what you do, this is what is expected of you now"

someone else (non-native) explained it as "it's a command, kind of.. it's more like it's saying what the expectation is and then indirectly telling the listener to follow that expectation"

It's curious I didn't find this grammar point in most resources... unless I've been searching wrong...
but in this link https://www.tomojuku.com/blog/... under usage 5 it mentions the "命令" usage, even though is only one example sentence.

2
4 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

I'll need to find some time to gather some more information on this, but what an interesting usage!

0
4 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110

I ended up bumping into it because of this line from a game: https://i.imgur.com/04NmehD.png (entire conversation here -> https://youtu.be/BVBx6jQtwUo?t=4542 with that line at 1:15:42) and I wasn't sure if するのよ was acting like a volitional (救出しよう) or like a potential (救出できる) or like something else, so someone suggested it might have been actually closer to のだ. But all of this needs verification indeed

Some more information at this page titled 命令表現 https://niwasaburoo.amebaownd.... , scroll down to "34.6　基本形／ナイ形（＋のだ）"
But from other pages I'm seeying that のだ has at least 3 frequent different usages

On another note, I think this page is lacking the usage of "explanatory の" , which might be related to のだ, this page for example https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/projec... categorizes it as のだ but I think that should only be "の" the same way Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar has it at page 322

DoBJG actually says at page 324 "The sentence-final の is derived from のだ/のです through deletion of だ/です."
Therefore I correct my previous statement, probably "explanatory-no" usage should go in a separate pages with the のだ usages

0
4 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110

I'm not convinced by the description of grammar point 5, which is "C which/whose A is B. C's A is B", and this is besides my aversion for the excessive abstraction 3 letters often bring xD
Let's take this sentence from the grammar quiz SRS that is linked to point 5:

「桜の花の咲く頃、必ずまたここで会おう。」と約束した。

if we apply that reasoning, this is what we get:

桜の花の咲く
A = Cherry Tree
B = flower
C = to bloom

C which/whose A is B
result : To bloom which/whose Cherry Tree is flower
correct/expected: cherry tree flowers bloom

What we get clearly makes no sense, but I do not think the sentence is the problem here, I think the grammar point is not being general enough.
I think this is the same grammar explained under が in DoBJG as:
In relative clauses, the subject may be marked by の, as in:

私が/のきのう見た映画はドイツの映画だった。
The movie I saw yesterday was a German film.

ジョンが/の食べたステーキ
 the steak that John ate

So I think the description for grammar point 5 should actually be "Subject marker in relative clauses", which I believe still works with the other example sentences as well, for example the main example sentence for that point: あの髪の長い人は私乃妹です。
あの髪の長い is a relative clause modifying 人

Quoting this link https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Japanese/Lessons/Relative_Clauses Japanese relative clauses are formed by placing the modifying clause immediately in front of the noun it modifies. The modifying clause acts much like an adjective (which it can also consist of).
Which support that relative clause can also end in adjectives, like the 長い above, so what I wrote should be correct :)

0
3 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

I think you're parsing that sentence incorrectly.

A 桜の花

の

B 咲く

C 頃

Are the three parts - The time which has cherry blossoms blooming.

You could, of course, mark is under a section for relative clauses, but the organization of data is naturally going to be subjective. I felt that people who see that の are going to think "Why is a の here?", and I placed the entry in this spot so they'd have a better chance of finding what they are looking for.

That being said, I'm happy to look at the way the English is written and make some clarifying adjustments.

1
3 years ago
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マイコー
Level: 292

The notes under the entry do mention the conversion from が, and the main definition does reference relative clauses (keep in mind that many definitions are two lines, not just the first). So if you were to adjust the meaning that is already there, how would you specifically change it?

0
3 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110

I think you're right, I've parsed that incorrectly indeed (;_;)
Sorry for that wall of text, I don't think it need changing anymore (._.) I'll think more carefully next time >_<

0
3 years ago
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