Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
Ever wanted to stress one specific part of a Japanese sentence—“It’s grammar that’s hard,” or “It was last night that I arrived”?
The tool you need is 〜のは Adj/N です. By placing the information you want to highlight after のは, you tell the listener, “This is the key point!” Let’s see how this focus-builder works.
1. Structure & Meaning
Pattern: V/A/N (short form) + (な) のは + Adj/N + です
Meaning: “It is Adj/N that …” / “What … is Adj/N.”
Example: 日本語で一番難しいのは文法です。 = What’s hardest in Japanese is grammar.
| Element | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb / clause | What you’re talking about | 日本語で一番 難しいのは… |
| Adj / Noun | The focus you want to emphasise | …文法です。 |
Think of のは as turning the preceding clause into a noun phrase that you can define or judge.
2. How to Form It
2-1. Verb clause → のは N/Adj
- Put the verb in plain (short) form.
- Add のは.
- Follow with the Adj or Noun you want to emphasise.
Example: It is last October that I started Japanese.
- started = 始めた (past short form)
- 始めたのは
- 日本語を始めたのは去年の十二月です。
2-2. Adjective or Noun clause
Not only verbs, but adjectives or nouns can also occupy the part before のは. They follow the following rules:
| Clause type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | Add のは | 日本語で難しいのは漢字です。 What is difficult in Japanese is kanji. |
| な-adjective | Add なのは | うちの会社で一番きれいなのはメアリーさんです。 It is Ms. Mary that is the prettiest in our company. |
| Noun | Add なのは | 弟は学生じゃありません。学生なのは妹です。 My brother isn’t a student. It’s my sister that’s a student. |
When the clause before 〜のは ends in a na-adjective or a noun, you usually insert な right before の to make it flow smoothly, rather than だ.
- Na-adjective: きれいだ (plain form) → きれいなのは (correct for 〜のは)
- Noun: 学生だ (plain form) → 学生なのは (correct for 〜のは)
If you’d like to review the short form, also known as the plain form, please take a look at these articles (Lesson 8 – Level 1).
3. Example Sentences
- 日本語で一番 難しいのは文法です。
What’s hardest in Japanese is grammar. - 私が昨日 家に着いたのは十二時でした。
It was twelve o’clock that I got home yesterday. - 家族で一番 背が高いのは父です。
The tallest in my family is my dad. - 兄は警察官じゃありません。警察官なのは姉です。
My older brother isn’t a police officer. It’s my older sister who is. - 最近 行ったのはイギリスです。
The place I went recently is the U.K. - すしを食べないのは好きじゃないからです。
The reason I don’t eat sushi is because I don’t like it. - たけしさんが来なかったのは、いそがしかったからです。
The reason Takeshi didn’t come was because he was busy.
4. Practice Drill
Rewrite the plain sentences to emphasise the underlined part using のは…です.
| Plain sentence | Emphasis sentence |
|---|---|
| 日本料理 が一番 好きです。 | 一番好きなのは日本料理です。 |
| 十二時 に 家に 着きました。 | 家に着いたのは十二時です。 |
| 平日 が 忙しいです。 | 忙しいのは平日です。 |
| 東京 は 日本で一番にぎやかです。 | 日本で一番にぎやかなのは東京です。 |
Try making two of your own!
5. Common Mistakes
| ❌ Wrong | Why | ✅ Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 私は結婚したのは橋本さんです。 | Subject inside のは-clause must take が, not は. | 私が結婚したのは橋本さんです。= It is Mr. Hashimoto that I got married to (not anybody else). |
| 日本語で難しいなのは漢字です。 | い-adj needs no な before のは. | 日本語で難しいのは漢字です。= What is difficult in Japanese is kanji. |
6. FAQ
- QWhat’s the core difference in nuance between a regular sentence and one using 〜のは…です?
- A
A regular sentence (日本語の文法は難しいです。 – “Japanese grammar is difficult.”) is a neutral statement of fact. 〜のは…です (日本語で一番難しいのは文法です。 – “What’s hardest in Japanese is grammar.”) puts a spotlight on the information that comes after のは. It’s like saying “It is [this specific thing] that [the clause is about],” highlighting that element as the key piece of information or the answer to an implied question.
- QCan I use 〜のは…です for a question, like “Is it X that…?”
- A
Yes, absolutely! You simply add the question particle
かat the end, just like a regular question. This pattern is perfect for asking for clarification about a specific detail.Example:
彼が来るのは明日ですか？(Kare ga kuru no wa ashita desu ka?) – “Is it tomorrow that he’s coming?” (or “Is tomorrow when he’s coming?”)
- QDoes 〜のは…です always use が for the subject within the emphasized clause?
- A
Yes, typically. When the subject of the verb or clause that precedes
〜のはis explicitly stated, it almost always takes the particleが(ga) instead ofは(wa). This is becauseはmarks the overall topic of the sentence, whileがmarks the subject of a sub-clause that is being described or defined by the main clause. The〜のはeffectively turns the preceding part into a noun phrase, makingがthe natural subject marker within that new phrase.- Correct:
私が結婚したのは橋本さんです。(Watashi ga kekkon shita no wa Hashimoto-san desu.) – “It was Hashimoto-san that I married.” - Incorrect:
私は結婚したのは橋本さんです。
- Correct:
- QDoes 〜のは…です always use が for the subject within the emphasized clause?
- A
The
〜のは…ですpattern is very versatile with tenses and polarity. You simply use the plain form of the verb or adjective (present, past, affirmative, or negative) directly before〜のは. Theですat the end then dictates the overall politeness.- Negative Past:
彼が来なかったのは、忙しかったからです。(Kare ga konakatta no wa, isogashikatta kara desu.) – “The reason he didn’t come was because he was busy.” - Past:
彼が来たのは昨日です。(Kare ga kita no wa kinō desu.) – “It was yesterday that he came.” - Negative:
私が食べないのは魚です。(Watashi ga tabenai no wa sakana desu.) – “It’s fish that I don’t eat.”
- Negative Past:
Conclusion
Now you can:
- ✅ Highlight any part of a sentence with V/A/N + のは + Adj/N + です
- ✅ Handle い-adj, な-adj, and noun clauses (remember なの)
- ✅ Avoid particle & form slip-ups
Practice turning ordinary statements into emphasis sentences—soon you’ll add nuance and focus like a native storyteller!
Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?
Our native Japanese instructors at gokigen japanese can help you perfect your pronunciation and learn real-life usage.
Whether you’re completely new to Japanese or looking to refine your skills, book a one-on-one session.
