PARTICLE COMBINATION なの AND なのはPARTICLE...

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Grammar detail: particle combination なの and なのは

particle combination なの and なのは

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The particle な (used to join な adjectives or nouns with the nouns they modify) and the particle の (with a couple of different meanings) are often combined. Here are a few different situations in which this form can be used.

In informal speech, you might hear sentences ending with なの. This is a combination of な and the sentence ending question particle の, indicating a question:

が

なの？
What is the problem?

なの used this way is an informal alternative to なんですか.

In other situations, the の is the nominalizing particle の. In this use the なの is an informal way to slightly 'soften' an assertion, and is a short form of なのです or なんです:

は

なの。
The phones aren't working.

This usage is generally only found in female speech.

Both uses above are verbal forms, and the wording is essentially identical, so intonation would be needed to differentiate the meaning.

A third context is the use of なのは, typically following a noun. In this case, the な serves to link the noun with the の, which is acting as a nominalizer or noun replacement. The は then serves its normal function to indicate that what preceded it is the topic of the sentence. This is a very common construction used to mean 'the thing that is ~'.

に

なのはまず

だと

は

った。
The teacher said: "Above all, what is necessary for success is perseverance."

Here, なのは means 'the thing that is', following

せいこう

成功

に

ひつよう

必要

'necessary for success'. This is marked as the topic of the sentence by the は.

スポーツが

きなのは、

りなんだ。
I love sports. I get that from my father.

Here, なのは means 'the fact that I like sports' or 'me liking sports'. This usage of なのは can often be used interchangeably with というのは.

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Words used in this grammar

なの

expression

1. used to make an assertion (at sentence-end with falling intonation; female term or language; colloquialism)

2. used to ask a question (at sentence-end with rising intonation; female term or language; colloquialism)

(click the word for examples and links)

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