Breakdown of atarashii tango o oboeru no wa taihen da to omoimasu.
はwa
topic particle
をo
direct object particle
新しいatarashii
new
〜の〜no
verb nominalizer
思うomou
to think
単語tango
word
覚えるoboeru
to memorize
大変taihen
hard
だda
to be
とto
quotation particle
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Questions & Answers about atarashii tango o oboeru no wa taihen da to omoimasu.
Why is の used after the verb phrase 覚える?
の here acts as a nominalizer: it turns the action “覚える” (to memorize) into a noun-like concept “覚えるの” (“memorizing”). That lets you talk about the act itself (e.g. “memorizing new words”) rather than performing it.
What’s the role of は after の?
The は marks “覚えるの” as the topic of the sentence. So you’re saying, literally, “As for memorizing new words, (something)…”
Why do we use 大変だ before と思います, and why not 大変ですと思います?
- 大変 is a na-adjective, so in plain form you attach the copula だ.
- When quoting your own thought with と思います, you cannot use the polite copula です inside the quote. Saying 大変ですと思います is ungrammatical.
Could I replace の with こと here, like 覚えることは大変だと思います?
Yes. Both の and こと can nominalize verbs. Differences:
- こと is slightly more formal and abstract.
- の feels more conversational and immediate.
In this sentence, either works, but の is more colloquial.
Why is the verb in dictionary form (覚える) and not, say, the te-form?
Only the dictionary form can be nominalized directly by の or こと. The te-form (覚えてのは…) wouldn’t make sense here, because て-form is for linking or commands, not nominalizing.
Why is を used with 単語 instead of が?
覚える is a transitive verb (“to memorize something”), so it takes a direct object marked by を. If you said 単語が覚える, it would mean “the words memorize (something),” which flips the subject/object.
What nuance does 大変 add compared to 難しい?
- 難しい (muzukashii) means “difficult,” focusing on challenge.
- 大変 (taihen) often means “tough,” “a lot of effort,” or even “oh no!” It can express that you have to put in serious work or that it’s burdensome.
Can I omit のは and say 新しい単語を覚える大変だと思います?
No. You need のは (or ことは) to turn “覚える” into a noun phrase that can be the topic. Without nominalization, the grammar breaks.
Why do we say 思います here instead of simply using だ?
Using と思います softens the statement by framing it as your opinion. “大変だ” alone is a plain assertion (“It’s tough”), while “大変だと思います” adds “I think…” to be more polite or humble.