の can turn a phrase into a noun-like expression. This is called nominalization. It lets you say things like “the one who…” or “the thing that…” in a simple way. Key points: • Verb/plain form + の becomes a noun-like phrase • It can be the subject or object of a sentence • Common with 好き/上手/下手/大切 • Often replaced by こと, but の is more conversational For example, “日本語を勉強するのが好きです” means “I like studying Japanese.” The phrase 勉強する becomes “the act of studying” by adding の. Another common use is identifying something: “赤いのは私のかばんです” means “The red one is my bag.” Here の stands for a noun that is already understood. At N5, you can focus on two patterns: Verb + のが好きです, and Adjective + の (the one that is...). This helps you talk about activities you like and identify objects without repeating nouns. As you progress, you will see の used in many places. For now, treat it as a way to make a verb phrase into a “thing” so it can fit into a sentence as a noun.