の (possession; modification)
no (possession, modification)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
"of / 's" — links two nouns: possession, attribute, origin, or apposition. Also a pronoun "one".
の links two nouns so that the first one describes the second: 私の傘 "my umbrella", 日本語の先生 "a teacher of Japanese", 東京の大学 "a university in Tokyo". The word before の always describes the word after it, so the order is the opposite of English "of". の can also stand in for a noun you already mentioned: 赤いの "the red one".
Ownership (my, your, Tanaka's), what something is made of or about, where something is from (日本の車), and replacing a repeated noun ("the red one"). Extremely frequent; N5 reading passages are full of の chains like 私の友達の家.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Noun 1 + の + Noun 2 (Noun 1 describes Noun 2)い-adjective + の (赤いの = the red one)Noun + の (これは私のです = this is mine)
Visual diagram
- これはtopic
- 私owner
- のlinks owner to thing
- 傘thing
- ですpolite "is"
Natural examples
これは私の傘です。
これは わたしの かさです。
This is my umbrella.
Ownership: my umbrella.
日本語の先生はどこですか。
にほんごの せんせいは どこですか。
Where is the Japanese teacher?
"Teacher of Japanese": the first noun says what kind of teacher.
赤いのをください。
あかいのを ください。
Please give me the red one.
の as a pronoun: "the red one" (no need to repeat 傘).
あれは日本の車です。
あれは にほんの くるまです。
That is a Japanese car.
Origin: 日本の車 = a car from Japan. 車の日本 would mean something else entirely.
このかばんは田中さんのです。
この かばんは たなかさんのです。
This bag is Mr Tanaka's.
Noun + の with no following noun = "Tanaka's (one)".
Similar grammar and the difference
な-adjectives use な, not の, before a noun: 静かな町 (not 静かの町). Compare side by side
A different の: at the end of a sentence it gives an explanation. Compare side by side
と joins two equal nouns (A and B); の makes one noun describe the other. Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 車の日本
- ✓
- 日本の車
- Why
- The describing word comes first. 日本の車 = a car (that is) from Japan.
- ✗
- 静かの町
- ✓
- 静かな町
- Why
- な-adjectives take な before a noun, not の.
- ✗
- 赤いの傘
- ✓
- 赤い傘
- Why
- い-adjectives go straight onto the noun. Use 赤いの only when the noun is left out ("the red one").
In casual speech の can end a question (行くの？). The first noun modifies the second — 日本の車 "Japanese car", 車の日本 is wrong.
JLPT N5 tips
On the exam
- Between two nouns, の is almost always the answer. The trap is when the first word is a な-adjective (静か, 有名, きれい): then it is な.
- In 〜のです／〜のですか, the の is the explanatory ending, not possession; do not be confused when the blank comes right before です.
Frequently asked questions
What does の (possession; modification) mean?
"of / 's" — links two nouns: possession, attribute, origin, or apposition. Also a pronoun "one". の links two nouns so that the first one describes the second: 私の傘 "my umbrella", 日本語の先生 "a teacher of Japanese", 東京の大学 "a university in Tokyo". The word before の always describes the word after it, so the order is the opposite of English "of". の can also stand in for a noun you already mentioned: 赤いの "the red one".
How do you form の (possession; modification)?
Noun 1 + の + Noun 2 (Noun 1 describes Noun 2) / い-adjective + の (赤いの = the red one) / Noun + の (これは私のです = this is mine). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is の (possession; modification) used?
Ownership (my, your, Tanaka's), what something is made of or about, where something is from (日本の車), and replacing a repeated noun ("the red one"). Extremely frequent; N5 reading passages are full of の chains like 私の友達の家.
What is the difference between の (possession; modification) and な-adjective + な?
な-adjectives use な, not の, before a noun: 静かな町 (not 静かの町).
What is the difference between の (possession; modification) and んです／のです?
A different の: at the end of a sentence it gives an explanation.
What is a common mistake with の (possession; modification)?
Wrong: 車の日本 Right: 日本の車 The describing word comes first. 日本の車 = a car (that is) from Japan.
Quick check
What goes in ( )? これは 私（ ）本です。