-는 것 Nominalizer: Meaning, Rules and Examples

What you'll learn

• Build the phrase 읽는 것, 먹는 것 or 하는 것 from any action verb.
• Choose the right particle after 것 (이/가, 을/를 or 은/는) for the predicate that follows.
• Switch to (으)ㄴ 것 for adjectives and past events, and (으)ㄹ 것 for plans.
• Understand the spoken short forms 게, 걸, 건 and 거예요.
• Spot and fix the five most common mistakes.

Before you start: you should know how to find a verb stem (drop 다 from the dictionary form) and the object particle. If those are new, read object particle 을/를 first. Audio plays only when you press a button.

What Does the -는 것 Nominalizer Mean?

The -는 것 nominalizer means "the act of doing" or "the thing that someone does". A nominalizer is a grammar tool that turns a clause, such as "I read books", into a noun phrase, such as "reading books". Korean builds this noun phrase with the dependent noun 것 and a modifier ending in front of it.

A dependent noun (의존 명사) is a noun that cannot stand alone. 것 means "thing", "fact" or "act", and it always needs a modifier before it. The ending 는 is the present modifier for action verbs. So 읽는 것 literally says "the thing that one reads" and in practice means "reading". After that, 읽는 것 behaves like any noun. It can be a subject, an object or a topic.

A First Example

Here are two sentences that show the same pattern on different verbs.

• 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요. (chaegeul ingneun geoseul joahaeyo.) [채글 잉는 거슬 조아해요] = "I like reading books."
• 운동하는 것이 중요해요. (undonghaneun geosi jungyohaeyo.) [운동하는 거시 중요해요] = "Exercising is important."

Each sentence has the same parts. In the first one, 책을 is the object of 읽다, 읽는 것 is the noun phrase "reading books", 을 marks that phrase as the object of 좋아해요, and 좋아해요 is the predicate "like". In the second one, 운동하는 것 is the noun phrase "exercising", 이 marks it as the subject, and 중요해요 is the predicate "is important". The particle after 것 depends on the predicate, which the next section explains.

How Does the -는 것 Nominalizer Work?

The -는 것 nominalizer works by putting a modifier ending in front of 것. The ending changes with the word type and the time: 는 for action verbs in the present or in general statements, (으)ㄴ for adjectives and for finished actions, and (으)ㄹ for plans or things not yet done.

For example, 읽다 gives 읽는 [잉는], 읽은 [일근] and 읽을 [일글]. The verb 만들다 drops its ㄹ before ㄴ, so it gives 만드는, 만든 and 만들. The next three parts show each group in a sentence.

Action Verbs with 는 것

An action verb takes 는 directly on its stem, with no linking vowel. 읽다 gives 읽는 것, 먹다 gives 먹는 것, and 하다 gives 하는 것. In speech, the final ㄱ of 읽 and 먹 turns into a nasal sound before ㄴ: 먹는 [멍는], 읽는 [잉는]. The spelling stays the same.

• 한국어를 배우는 것이 재미있어요. (hangugeoreul baeuneun geosi jaemiisseoyo.) [한구거를 배우는 거시 재미이써요] = "Learning Korean is fun."
• 김밥을 만드는 것을 좋아해요. (gimbabeul mandeuneun geoseul joahaeyo.) [김바블 만드는 거슬 조아해요] = "I like making gimbap."

In the second sentence, 만들다 loses its ㄹ, because ㄹ-stems drop ㄹ before ㄴ, ㅂ and ㅅ. Writing 만들는 것 is an error.

Adjectives, past Events and Plans

An adjective cannot take 는. It takes (으)ㄴ, and the phrase then means "the one that is ...". 큰 것을 주세요 (keun geoseul juseyo) [큰 거슬 주세요] means "Please give me the big one." A past action also takes (으)ㄴ, and the phrase means "what someone did". 제가 어제 읽은 것은 시예요 (jega eoje ilgeun geoseun siyeyo) [제가 어제 일근 거슨 시예요] means "What I read yesterday was a poem."

A plan or a purpose takes (으)ㄹ. 마실 것을 주세요 (masil geoseul juseyo) [마실꺼슬 주세요] means "Please give me something to drink." After the ending -ㄹ, the first sound of 것 is tense, so you hear [꺼]. Write the plain spelling and say the tense sound, following the standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법, Article 27) of the 국립국어원 (National Institute of Korean Language).

These examples show that 것 can mean an abstract "act" or a concrete "thing". The context decides. Next, a worked example puts the steps in order.

Worked Example: Building a Sentence with -는 것

The -는 것 nominalizer turns an ordinary sentence into a noun phrase in four steps. Follow the sentence "I like reading books."

1. Start with the plain sentence. 책을 읽어요. (chaegeul ilgeoyo.) = "I read books." The verb is 읽어요.
2. Find the dictionary form and stem. 읽어요 comes from 읽다. The stem is 읽.
3. Add 는 것 to the stem. 읽 + 는 것 = 읽는 것. Keep the object in front: 책을 읽는 것.
4. Add a particle and a predicate. The predicate 좋아하다 ("like") takes 을/를 on its object, so the result is 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요.

You know it worked when the original object 책을 stays in place and the verb 읽어요 has become 읽는 것 plus a particle. The usual slip is to keep the polite ending (읽어요는 것), so always start from the stem. Now swap the predicate: 책을 읽는 것이 좋아요 (chaegeul ingneun geosi joayo) means "Reading books is good", because the adjective 좋다 takes 이/가 instead of 을/를.

The choice between 이/가 and 을/를 follows one rule, which the next section turns into a comparison.

Which Particle Follows 것?

The particle after 것 depends on the predicate, exactly as it would after any noun. A verb that takes an object, such as 좋아하다, 싫어하다, 알다, 보다 or 듣다, needs 을/를. An adjective or a state predicate, such as 좋다, 중요하다, 어렵다, 쉽다 or 필요하다, needs 이/가. A contrast or topic takes 은/는.

The last row shows a use that only 는 것 can do. When you report something you saw or heard, 는 것 describes what was happening at that moment. The pattern -기 does not do this. 아이가 노래하는 것을 들었어요 (aiga noraehaneun geoseul deureosseoyo) [아이가 노래하는 거슬 드러써요] means "I heard the child singing."

How Is -는 것 Different from -기 and -(으)ㅁ?

The -는 것 form is the flexible all-purpose nominalizer, -기 is the form for naming an activity, and -(으)ㅁ is a written-style form that is mostly fixed in particular nouns. All three turn a verb into a noun, but they are not always interchangeable.

Three guidelines help in practice. First, if you mean a concrete thing or a specific event, use 는 것. Second, fixed patterns use -기 only: 가기 전에 ("before going"), 먹기 때문에 ("because of eating"), 읽기 쉬워요 ("easy to read"). Compare 책이 읽기 쉬워요, which says that the book is easy to read, with 책을 읽는 것이 쉬워요, which says that the act of reading is easy. Third, -(으)ㅁ appears in nouns such as 기쁨 (gippeum, "joy"), 웃음 (useum, "laughter") and 삶 (sam, "life"), which dictionaries list as ordinary nouns. Full comparisons are on -기 vs -는 것 vs -(으)ㅁ, and the neighbours have their own lessons: -기 nominalizer and -(으)ㅁ nominalizer. The next section covers how the pattern sounds in everyday speech.

How Do 게, 걸, 건 and 거예요 Shorten 것?

In speech, 것 and its particles shrink into one syllable. 것이 becomes 게, 것을 becomes 걸, 것은 becomes 건, and 것이에요 becomes 거예요. In casual speech people also say 거 instead of 것 and often drop the particle entirely.

• 먹는 걸 좋아해요. (meongneun geol joahaeyo.) = "I like eating."
• 먹는 건 괜찮아요. (meongneun geon gwaenchanayo.) = "Eating is fine."
• 이건 제가 먹는 거예요. (igeon jega meongneun geoyeyo.) = "This is what I eat."

Spoken Korean often goes one step further and drops the particle: 먹는 거 좋아해요. That is fine among friends. In formal writing, keep the full 것 and the particle. 거 and 게 are spoken forms, so essays, notices and exam answers use 것이 and 것을. A full lesson on these forms is on 거 게 건 걸 contractions in Korean.

One more sound rule helps with the full form. Before a consonant particle, the final ㅅ of 것 is pronounced as ㄷ: 먹는 것도 (meongneun geotdo) is said [멍는 걷또], with a tense ㄷ. Before a vowel particle, 것 moves its ㅅ to the next syllable: 것이 [거시], 것을 [거슬], 것은 [거슨].

Variations and Edge Cases of -는 것

The -는 것 nominalizer has a few set uses that learners meet early. They look new, but each one is the same pattern with a fixed predicate.

• -는 것이 좋다 / 중요하다 / 필요하다. These give advice or state values: 일찍 자는 것이 좋아요 means "It is good to sleep early." Here 것이 is the subject of the adjective.
• Subject inside the phrase. The doer of the verb keeps 이/가: 동생이 노래하는 것을 들었어요 ("I heard my younger sibling sing"). The inner subject is 동생이, and the outer object is 것을.
• -는 것 같다. The phrase 가는 것 같아요 means "It seems that someone is going." This guess pattern has its own lessons, and it is introduced here only so that you recognise 것 in it.
• Concrete 것. 것 can stand for an object: 제가 산 것 ("the one I bought") and 이 가방은 제 거예요 ("This bag is mine", with 거 for 것).

This lesson covers the common forms of the pattern, not every set phrase that contains 것. Other dependent nouns, such as 수, 때, 줄 and 적, follow the same rule of modifier plus noun, and they have their own page: Korean dependent nouns 것 수 때 줄 적. The mistakes below show where the pattern most often goes wrong.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -는 것?

Learners most often choose the wrong modifier ending or the wrong particle. Five mistakes appear again and again.

1. Using 는 with an adjective. 예쁘는 것 is wrong. An adjective takes (으)ㄴ: 예쁜 것 ("a pretty one"). Only action verbs and 있다/없다 take 는.
2. Keeping the ㄹ of a ㄹ-stem. 만들는 것 is wrong. The stem drops ㄹ before ㄴ: 만드는 것.
3. Dropping the particle in formal writing. Casual speech often drops the particle after 거, but in an essay 운동하는 것 중요합니다 is wrong. Write 운동하는 것이 중요합니다.
4. Pairing 좋다 with 을/를. 먹는 것을 좋아요 mixes two predicates. Use 먹는 것이 좋아요 ("Eating is good") or 먹는 것을 좋아해요 ("I like eating").
5. Adding the polite ending inside. 읽어요는 것 is wrong. The modifier attaches to the stem, so the correct form is 읽는 것.

A quick check: Does the word before 것 end in 는, (으)ㄴ or (으)ㄹ? Does the particle match the predicate? If both answers are yes, the sentence is sound.

The practice set tests these points.

Practice and Answers

Try the four items before you read the answers.

1. Choose the form. Complete: 김밥을 ___ 것을 좋아해요. (만드는 / 만들는)
2. Fix the error. A learner writes 이 가방은 예쁘는 것이에요. Correct it.
3. Translate. "Learning Korean is fun." Use 배우다 and 재미있다.
4. Write your own. Write one sentence about something you like doing, using 는 것을 좋아해요. Then rewrite it with 는 게 좋아요.

Answer key

1. 만드는. The stem 만들 drops its ㄹ before ㄴ: 김밥을 만드는 것을 좋아해요.
2. 이 가방은 예쁜 것이에요. The adjective 예쁘다 takes (으)ㄴ, which gives 예쁜.
3. 한국어를 배우는 것이 재미있어요. (hangugeoreul baeuneun geosi jaemiisseoyo.) The adjective 재미있다 takes 이/가.
4. Answers vary. Check that the verb stem is followed by 는 것, and that the particle matches the predicate. An example: 영화를 보는 것을 좋아해요. The spoken short form of 것을 is 걸 (영화를 보는 걸 좋아해요), and the short form of 것이 is 게 (영화를 보는 게 좋아요).

If you can complete items 1 to 3 without the key, you can use the pattern in a conversation. The next section points to lessons that build on it.

What Should You Learn Next after the -는 것 Nominalizer?

After the -는 것 nominalizer, learn its two neighbours and then the spoken short forms. This lesson teaches the present and general form, and it does not cover the full range of -기 or -(으)ㅁ uses, or the many set phrases with 것. Those have their own pages.

1. Read -기 nominalizer to see how an activity is named.
2. Read -기 vs -는 것 vs -(으)ㅁ for a side-by-side decision rule.
3. Read 거 게 건 걸 contractions in Korean to hear and use the short forms.
4. See the -는 noun modifier for the ending that sits inside 읽는 것.
5. Return to the set of Korean nominalization lessons, or to the Beginner Grammar list.

With these steps, the pattern becomes automatic: take the verb stem, add 는 것, and pick the particle that your predicate needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does -는 것 mean in Korean?

-는 것 means "the act of doing" or "the thing that someone does". It turns an action verb into a noun phrase: 읽다 (to read) becomes 읽는 것 (reading). The phrase then works like a noun, so it can be a subject, an object or a topic, as in 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요 ("I like reading books").

How do I form -는 것 with a verb?

Drop 다 from the dictionary form and add 는 것 to the stem: 먹다 becomes 먹는 것, and 하다 becomes 하는 것. For a ㄹ-stem verb, drop the ㄹ first, so 만들다 becomes 만드는 것. Adjectives use (으)ㄴ 것 instead, and plans use (으)ㄹ 것, as in 마실 것.

Which particle goes after 것?

The predicate decides. Verbs that take an object, such as 좋아하다 (like) or 듣다 (hear), need 을/를. Adjectives and state predicates, such as 중요하다 (be important) or 어렵다 (be hard), need 이/가. For contrast or a topic, use 은/는. The rule is the same as for any noun.

Is -는 것 used in speech, in writing, or both?

Both. Full forms like 것이 and 것을 are standard in writing, notices and exams. In speech, people shorten them to 게, 걸 and 건, and often say 거 for 것. The meaning stays the same, but the short forms sound casual, so avoid them in formal essays.

What is the most common mistake with -는 것?

Putting 는 on an adjective is the most common mistake. 예쁘는 것 is wrong, and 예쁜 것 is right, because adjectives take (으)ㄴ. A second frequent slip is keeping the ㄹ of a ㄹ-stem verb: 만들는 것 should be 만드는 것.

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