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They both mean to like the subject/topic, right?

I'm trying to figure out what のが actually means/adds to the sentence and when it is appropriate to put it in a sentence or leave it out. I have been told it is similar to stating 'I like things like ~' whereas just が is stating I like this one particular thing.'

Please explain to me and also please use hiragana as I am still a beginner.

Thanks!

Gemma Taylor
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    Do you have some example at hands? In general, `のが` is used after verbs, and `の` nominalize the preceding sentence, while `が` is used after nouns; so `私{わたし}は泳{およ}ぐのが好{す}きです` (I like to swim) vs `私{わたし}はケーキが好{す}きです` (I like cakes), not sure if this is what you are referring to. `Short verb + のが好{す}きです` means "I like doing [verb]". – Mauro Oct 10 '19 at 10:06
  • Mauro thank you. This makes a lot of sense! This will help me in my studies so thank you for answering. :) – Gemma Taylor Oct 20 '19 at 23:23

2 Answers2

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If you want to say you like some plain noun (e.g., pizza, soccer, video game), の is never used. の before が好きです is necessary when you want to say something using a verb or an adjective.

  • After a verb, as a nominalizer ("-ing"). See: Question with this sentence わたしはえをみるのがすきです

    はしるのがすきです。
    I like running.

    はしるがすきです (≒"*I like run") without の is ungrammatical. Depending on the context, はしるの can also mean "the one that runs", but it's rather exceptional.

  • After an i-adjective, as a pronoun meaning "one".

    あかいのがすきです。
    I like the red one.

    (cf. おおきいのをください。 The bigger one, please.)

    あかいがすきです is ungrammatical.

naruto
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I like running.
私は走るのが好きです。
I like the red one.
私は赤のが好き。
I like French better (than English). 私はフランス語のが好き。

verb+の=ing (noun)
の=one, thing
のが=の方が=more, better (adverb) This is a dialect.

I like the running one.
私は走るのが好き。
I like the red one better.
私は赤いののが好き。
I like running better (than swimming).
私は走るののが好き。
I like the running one better.
私は走るののが好き。

Yamacure
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    Are you sure about the translations you give? 「私は走るのが好きです」 is translated in two different ways, and you state that 「のが」 is equal to 「の方が」 (which isn't, as far as I know); also, should "I like French more (than English)" be 「私はフランス語**の方が**好きです」 instead of 「私はフランス語**のが**好きです」 (which I think is just "I like French")? – Mauro Oct 12 '19 at 17:05
  • Sorry. I’d always thought that 私は走るのが好きです can be translated in two different ways and it depends on the context. But according to google, it may be a kind of dialect. I think it’s relatively common in Kanto region. – Yamacure Oct 12 '19 at 22:12