Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha yoru ni kawa no tikaku de sanpo wo suruno ga suki desu. - I like taking walks near the river at night.

Note: In English we often think in terms of “subject,” but in Japanese the topic (marked by は) can be different from the subject (often marked by が). Here, 私 is the topic, and 散歩をするの (taking a walk) is the thing that is “liked” and is marked by が.

Why is it 夜に and not just 夜?

夜に (よるに) uses the particle に to mark time:

夜 = night
夜に = at night / in the evening

In many casual sentences, Japanese often drops に after time expressions:

夜、川の近くで散歩をするのが好きです。
(Natural and common in speech)

Both 夜に and 夜 are grammatically fine here.
に makes it a bit more explicitly “at night,” while dropping it can sound slightly more natural and conversational, depending on style and rhythm.

What is the role of の in 川の近く?

川の近く (かわのちかく) literally means “the near area of the river” → “near the river.”

Here の links two nouns:

川 = river
近く = vicinity / nearby area / close place
川の近く = the area near the river (literally: river’s vicinity)

So の in this phrase is like English “of” or the possessive ’s, but more generally it connects nouns.

What does the particle で do in 近くで?

で marks the place where an action happens.

川の近くで散歩をする
= to take a walk near the river (i.e., that is the place where you walk)

So:

に can mark a point/goal/location you go to (川に行く = go to the river).
で marks the place where you do something (川で泳ぐ = swim at the river).

Here, you are doing the walking at the place called 川の近く (near the river), so で is appropriate.

Why is it 散歩をする and not just 散歩する?

散歩 (さんぽ) is a verbal noun (a noun that can combine with する, “to do”).

Both of these are correct and common:

散歩をする
散歩する

The を is often optional with many する-verbs:

勉強(を)する – to study
練習(を)する – to practice

There is no real difference in meaning here.
散歩をする may feel slightly more explicit or careful, and is very normal in textbooks, but in real speech 散歩する is also very natural.

What does の do in 散歩をするのが?

This の is different from the の in 川の近く.

Here, の turns the whole verb phrase 散歩をする (“to take a walk”) into a noun-like thing (a nominalizer).

散歩をする = (to) take a walk
散歩をするの = the act of taking a walk / walking

Then が marks that noun phrase as the subject of 好き:

散歩をするのが好きです。
= (I) like taking a walk.
(Literally: “As for me, the act of taking a walk is liked.”)

So の here works like “-ing” or “to ~” in English when we use a verb as a noun:
“to walk” → “walking (the activity)”.

Why is it が in するのが好きです, and not を?

With 好き, the thing you like is marked by が, not を.

Pattern:

X が好きです = (someone) likes X
私は X が好きです。 = As for me, I like X.

In this sentence:

Topic: 私 (marked by は)
Liked thing (subject of 好き): 散歩をするの (marked by が)

So:

私は散歩をするのが好きです。
= As for me, taking a walk is liked.

Using を with 好き for the liked thing is ungrammatical in standard Japanese.
Think: 好き “takes が” for what is liked.

Is 好き a verb like “to like”?

No. 好き (すき) is an adjective-like word (na-adjective), not a verb.

好きです literally means “is liked / is liked by (me).”
The structure is closer to “X is likable / is pleasing (to me)” than “I like X.”

Grammar-wise:

X が好きです。
= X is liked (by me).
(Not “I 好き X.” There is no verb “好きる.”)

That’s why:

We don’t say 私は散歩を好きです.
We say 私は散歩をするのが好きです or 私は散歩が好きです.

Why is です used after 好き?

です is the polite copula (similar in function to “am / is / are,” but really a politeness marker).

好きだ = plain / casual “is liked”
好きです = polite “is liked”

In your sentence:

好きです → polite style, suitable for talking to people you don’t know well, or in formal contexts.

So the core meaning is in 好き; です adds politeness and finishes the sentence politely.

Can the pronoun 私 be left out?

Yes, very often.

Japanese frequently drops the subject or topic when it is obvious from context.

So:

私は夜に川の近くで散歩をするのが好きです。
夜に川の近くで散歩をするのが好きです。

Both can mean “I like taking walks near the river at night.”
If you’re talking about yourself and it’s clear, the second version without 私 is more natural in everyday conversation.

Is the word order fixed, or can I move parts like 夜に and 川の近くで?

Japanese word order is more flexible than English, as long as particles stay attached to the right words and the verb comes at the end.

All of these are grammatically OK and natural:

私は夜に川の近くで散歩をするのが好きです。
私は川の近くで夜に散歩をするのが好きです。

General tendency:

Time expressions (like 夜に) often come earlier.
Location expressions (like 川の近くで) often come after time but still before the verb.

So 夜に川の近くで… is a bit more typical in textbooks, but 川の近くで夜に… is also fully acceptable and can sound natural depending on emphasis and rhythm.

Are there simpler or alternative ways to say “I like walking near the river at night”?

Yes. Some common variations:

Drop を with 散歩:
- 私は夜に川の近くで散歩するのが好きです。
Use 散歩が好き instead of 散歩をするのが好き:
- 私は夜に川の近くでの散歩が好きです。
  (literally: “I like walks near the river at night.”)
Use a different verb like 歩く (to walk):
- 私は夜に川の近くを歩くのが好きです。
  (I like walking along/through the area near the river.)

All of these convey the same basic idea, with slightly different nuance or style.

Why is the verb する in “non-past” form if we’re talking about a general preference, not future?

Japanese non-past form (する) covers both present and future meanings. It’s also used for general habits or general truths.

In this sentence:

散歩をするのが好きです
= I like doing walks (in general).

We’re not saying “I will take a walk (in the future).”
We’re describing a general preference, so non-past is exactly what we want.

So:

Non-past (する) → general, habitual, or future
Past (した) → specific completed action (liked doing it then).