Could anyone help me with こと?

[derick78b]

Hey guys.

I see a lot of こと. I know its meaning but sometimes I see it and it simply doesn't tell me anything. Is there any website or article that could show me how I use it?


Thank you very much.

[Mike Cash]

What are some examples of times you don't understand it?

[charusu]

ことis used frequently as a nominalizer - ことmeans "thing [that you do or is intangible]" itself - and can be used to turn something into a noun (nominalization). With regard to verbs, ことcan be use with the dictionary form of a verb to form the gerund. For example:

食べることが好きです。(I like eating) [Literally: (the act of, the thing of) eating is pleasing/likeable]
Although I suppose a better way to say this may be 「食べるのが好きです。」, the nominalizer こと tends to indicate something that the speaker does not "feel close to" - where the nominalizer の does tend to indicate that the speaker is personally involved.

Check out nominalization and relative clauses for more information.

[Andromedashun]

I think こと add to soften the speech, and usually it follows a verb.

Verb (plain form) + こと is common.

Of course there is のこと, but you more likely see V+こと.

[Mike Cash]

I think こと add to soften the speech, and usually it follows a verb.

Verb (plain form) + こと is common.

That's a directive/command, most typically seen in written form.