～こと (nominalizer)
Turn an action or statement into a noun-like idea
You'll be able to use こと to discuss actions and facts as abstract ideas in neutral or formal contexts.
芽衣は絵を描くことが好きです。
mei wa e o kaku koto ga suki desu.
What do you think this sentence means?
Mei likes drawing pictures.
Turn an action into an idea
こと lets a whole action serve as the topic or object of a sentence. It is useful for discussing activities as ideas, rather than describing one visible event.
毎日歩くことは大切です。
mainichi aruku koto wa taisetsu desu.
Walking every day is important.
Form and use ～こと (nominalizer)
Use a plain form before こと, such as 泳ぐこと. It then takes ordinary noun particles. の is also a nominalizer, but the two are not freely interchangeable, and some fixed patterns specifically require こと.
毎日歩くことは大切です。
mainichi aruku koto wa taisetsu desu.
Walking every day is important.
元気なことが一番大切です。
genki na koto ga ichiban taisetsu desu.
Being healthy is the most important thing.
私の趣味は料理をすることです。
watashi no shumi wa ryouri o suru koto desu.
My hobby is cooking.
私の夢は日本で働くことです。
watashi no yume wa nihon de hataraku koto desu.
My dream is to work in Japan.
兄の仕事は小学校で子どもに英語を教えることです。
ani no shigoto wa shougakkou de kodomo ni eigo o oshieru koto desu.
My older brother's job is teaching English to children at an elementary school.
休みの日の楽しみは、近くの温泉に行くことです。
yasumi no hi no tanoshimi wa, chikaku no onsen ni iku koto desu.
What I look forward to on my days off is going to a nearby hot spring.
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