608 Make verb into noun ～こと ～の

In these examples you have learnt how to say “I like talking”, “I like listening”, “I like buying”. Although this is a basic pattern you could use, in everyday conversation it is more likely that this pattern is part of a larger sentence. 

For instance, it is more likely that you will hear, or you would want to say “I like listening to classical music”, or “I like buying shoes”, or “I like buying chocolate”, etc.

Here are two simple examples:

チョコレートをかうことがすきです。

chokoreeto o kau koto ga suki desu

I like buying chocolate.

にほんごをべんきょうすることがすきです。

nihongo o benkyō suru koto ga suki desu

I like studying Japanese.

And here are exactly the same examples using の.

チョコレートをかうのがすきです。

chokoreeto o kau no ga suki desu

I like buying chocolate.

にほんごをべんきょうするのがすきです。

nihongo o benkyō suru no ga suki desu

I like studying Japanese.

Exactly the same meaning, but less formal than the first examples.