List of Japanese formal nouns
Formal nouns are a type of Japanese nouns that are more grammatical than meaningful. These nouns are part of common and important phrases, and perform important grammatical functions, but don’t really have translatable meaning in these phrases.
Though the most important and common formal nouns in Japanese are こと (transcribed koto), もの (transcribed mono), and ところ (transcribed tokoro), there are a few others. Check out the list below!
| Formal Noun | Refers to | Example |
|---|---|---|
こと Transcription: koto | a fact, matter, or abstract thing | チームが優勝できなかったことを悔やんでも仕方がない。 Transcription: Chiimu ga yūshō dekinakatta koto o kuyande mo shikata ga nai. Translation: It’s no use to regret (the fact) that our team couldn’t win the championship. |
もの Transcription: mono | something, a thing at its core | 夏 (というもの) は暑いものだ。 Transcription: Natsu (to iu mono) wa atsui mono da. Translation: Summer is intrinsically hot. (i.e. a thing that is hot, at its core) |
ところ Transcription: tokoro | a place or a part of something | すみません、問題のここのところがわかりません。 Transcription: Sumimasen, mondai no koko no tokoro ga wakarimasen. Translation: Excuse me, but I don’t understand this part of the problem. |
とき Transcription: toki | point in time | 行くときは知らせます。 Transcription: Iku toki wa shirasemasu. Translation: I’ll let you know when I go. |
うち Transcription: uchi | within a limited duration of time | 桜が散らないうちに花見に出かけよう。 Transcription: Sakura ga chiranai uchi ni hanami ni dekakeyō. Translation: Let's go for a cherry-blossom-viewing picnic while they are still in bloom. |
あいだ Transcription: aida | duration of time | 寝ているあいだに汗をかいた。 Transcription: Nete iru aida ni ase o kaita. Translation: I sweated while I was asleep. |
とおり Transcription: tōri | same state / method | 言われたとおりにしなさい。 Transcription: Iwareta tōri ni shinasai. Translation: Do as you are told. |
せい Transcription: sei | cause / reason | 花が枯れたのは、水をやりすぎたせいかもしれない。 Transcription: Hana ga kareta no wa, mizu o yarisugita sei kamo shirenai. Translation: The reason why the flowers died might be because we overwatered them. |
はず Transcription: hazu | conviction / plan | これでまちがいないはずだ。 Transcription: Kore de machigai nai hazu da. Translation: This should be alright. |
わけ Transcription: wake | acceptance / conclusion | 今日はお客が来るらしい。道理で家の中がきれいなわけだ。 Transcription: Kyō wa okyaku ga kuru rashii. Dōri de ie no naka ga kireina wake da. Translation: I've heard there will be visitors today. No wonder the house looks clean. |
ため Transcription: tame | purpose / cause | 彼らは生きるために働いた。 Transcription: Karera wa ikiru tame ni hataraita. Translation: They worked to survive. |
つもり Transcription: tsumori | intention | パーティーには出席するつもりです。 Transcription: Pātii ni wa shusseki suru tsumori desu. Translation: I intend to attend the party. |
まま Transcription: mama | changeless state | 弟は部屋を散らかしたまま遊びに行った。 Transcription: Otōto wa heya o chirakashita mama asobi ni itta. Translation: My younger brother went out to play with his room still in mess. |
ほう Transcription: hō | one of the two options | このコーヒーのほうがおいしい。 Transcription: Kono kōhii no hō ga oishii. Translation: This coffee is more tasty. |
Additional expressions using こと [koto]
Below are listed some of the less common uses of こと (transcribed koto). Check out our post on Japanese formal nouns for the most common uses!
| Expression | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
〜ことに Transcription: koto ni | Works like “to my + feeling” in English – highlights the speaker’s emotional state | 残念なことに、洋子さんはパーティーに来なかった。 Transcription: Zan’nen’na koto ni, Yōko san wa pātii ni konakatta. Translation: To my disappointment, Yoko didn’t show up at the party. |
〜ことだし Transcription: koto da shi | Marks a light reason for some action. | お腹もすいてきたことだし、今日はここまでにしよう。 Transcription: Onaka mo suite kita koto da shi, kyō wa koko made ni shiyō. Translation: We are also getting hungry, so let’s wrap it up for today. |
〜のことだから Transcription: no koto da kara | Used after a person or group of people whose behavior or characteristics you are judging. | 小川さんのことだから、たぶん遅れてくるよ。 Transcription: Ogawa san no koto da kara, tabun okurete kuru yo. Translation: Since it’s Ms. Ogawa (we are talking about), she will probably show up late. |
〜ということだ Transcription: to iu koto da | Marks hearsay; “I've heard that…” | 天気予報によると、今年は梅雨が長引くということだ。 Transcription: Tenki yohō ni yoru to, kotoshi wa tsuyu ga nagabiku to iu koto da. Translation: According to the weather forecast, the rainy season will last longer this year. |
〜ことができる Transcription: koto ga dekiru | Marks an ability (e.g. “can…” or “is able to…”) | 洋子さんは５ヶ国語を話すことができる。 Transcription: Yōko san wa gokakokugo o hanasu koto ga dekiru. Translation: Yoko is able to speak five languages. |
〜ことにする Transcription: koto ni shita | Marks a decision (e.g. “to decide to…”) | 疲れているので、今週は残業しないことにした。 Transcription: Tsukarete iru node, konshū wa zangyō shinai koto ni shita. Translation: Since I’m tired, I’ve decided not to do any overtime work this week. |
〜ことになる Transcription: koto ni naru | Marks a decision that was made for the speaker (e.g. “it’s been decided that…”) | 来週から大阪に出張することになりました。 Transcription: Raishū kara Ōsaka ni shucchō suru koto ni narimashita. Translation: It’s been decided that I’ll go to Osaka next week for business. |
〜たことがある Transcription: -ta koto ga aru | Marks something experienced in the past (e.g. “there was a time when…”) | 露天風呂に入ったことがありますか。 Transcription: Rotenburo ni haitta koto ga arimasu ka. Translation: Have you ever bathed in open-air hot springs? |
〜ることがある Transcription: -ru koto ga aru | Occasional action / situation; “there are times when…” | 時々、ふらりと一人旅に出ることがある。 Transcription: Tokidoki, furari to hitoritabi ni deru koto ga aru. Translation: There are times when I go on trips alone without any fixed itinerary. |
Additional expressions using もの [mono]
Below are listed some of the less common uses of the formal noun もの (transcribed mono). Check out our post on Japanese formal nouns for the most common uses!
| Expression | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
〜ものだから Transcription: mono da kara | States a cause or reason for one’s action as an excuse or explanation | すごくおいしかったものだから、全部食べてしまった。 Transcription: Sugoku oishikatta mono da kara, zenbu tabete shimatta. Translation: Because they were super tasty, I ended up polishing them all. |
〜ものなら Transcription: mono nara | Follows the potential form of a verb, expressing someone’s wish for something that has low or no possibility, “If I could…” | 戻れるものなら、子供の頃に戻りたい。 Transcription: Modoreru mono nara, kodomo no koro ni modoritai. Translation: If I could go back, I’d like to go back to my childhood. |
〜ものか Transcription: mono ka | Strong denial | こんなでたらめな記事、誰が信じるものか。 Transcription: Kon'na detaramena kiji, shinjiru mono ka. Translation: Nobody would believe an inaccurate article like this. |
〜ないものだろうか Transcription: -nai mono darō ka | Expresses the speaker's wish that a certain event will come true | 通勤時間がもう少し短くならないものだろうか。 Transcription: Tsūkin jikan ga mō sukoshi mijikaku naranai mono darō ka. Translation: I wonder if I could make my commute time shorter somehow. |
Additional expressions using ところ [tokoro]
Below are listed some of the less common uses of the formal noun ところ (transcribed tokoro). Check out our post on Japanese formal nouns for the most common uses!
| Expression | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
〜たところ Transcription: -ta tokoro | Follows an action that results in a discovery, event, unexpected outcome. | 箱を開けたところ、中からへびのおもちゃが飛び出してきた。 Transcription: Hako o aketa tokoro, naka kara hebi no omocha ga tobidashite kita. Translation: As I opened the box, a toy snake jumped out of it. |
〜たところが Transcription: -ta tokoro ga | 買い物に出かけたところが、店はもう閉まっていた。 Transcription: Kaimono ni dekaketa tokoro ga, mise wa mō shimatte ita. Translation: When I went out shopping, the store was already closed. | |
〜ところを見ると Transcription: tokoro o miru to | Marks the basis of the speaker’s speculation or judgment. | 返事がこないところを見ると、ジョンはまだ怒っているらしい。 Transcription: Henji ga konai tokoro o miru to, Jon wa mada okotte iru rashii. Translation: Judging from the fact I still haven't got his reply, John is apparently still angry. |
〜ところを Transcription: tokoro o | Marks a circumstance that had an exceptional or unusual outcome. Often used together with a form ending in 〜なら (transcribed nara) or 〜であれば (transcribed de aru wa). | いつもなら２０分で行けるところを、１時間もかかった。 Transcription: Itsumo nara nijuppun de ikeru tokoro o, ichi jikan mo kakatta. Translation: Usually it takes only twenty minutes to get there, but (this time) it took as long as one hour. |
〜たところで Transcription: -ta tokoro de | Indicates that just after the action or situation it marks concluded, something else happened. | みんなの意見が出揃ったところで、決を採った。 Transcription: Min’na no iken ga desorotta tokoro de, ketsu o totta. Translation: Once everyone expressed their opinions, we took a vote. |
Marks a circumstance that will leads to a negative development, often marked by 〜できない (transcribed de kinai) or 〜むだだ (transcribed mudada). | 今からがんばったところで、合格は無理だろう。 Transcription: Ima kara ganbatta tokoro de, gōkaku wa muri darō. Translation: Even if I tried my best from now on, it would be impossible for me to pass the exam. |
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