N4 — outside your level filter

のは〜だ

のは〜だno wa daN4neutral

it is X that — one part is pulled to the end

彼かれに初はじめて会あったのは、去年きょねんの夏なつでした。

kare ni hajimete atta no wa, kyonen no natsu deshita.

It was the summer of last year that I first met him. neutral

今いまいちばん食たべたいのは、やっぱりラーメンかな。

ima ichiban tabetai no wa, yappari raamen kana.

What I want to eat most right now is ramen, I think. casual

All examples5

it is X that — one part is picked out as the answer

  1. 彼かれに初はじめて会あったのは、去年きょねんの夏なつでした。

    kare ni hajimete atta no wa, kyonen no natsu deshita.

    It was the summer of last year that I first met him. neutral

  2. 今いまいちばん食たべたいのは、やっぱりラーメンかな。

    ima ichiban tabetai no wa, yappari raamen kana.

    What I want to eat most right now is ramen, I think. casual

  3. 本日ほんじつお集あつまりいただいたのは、来年度らいねんどの方針ほうしんをご説明せつめいするためです。

    honjitsu oatsumari itadaita no wa, rainendo no houshin o go setsumei suru tame desu.

    The reason we have asked you here today is to explain next year's policy. formal

  4. 返事へんじが遅おくれたのは、メールに気きづかなかったからです。

    henji ga okureta no wa, meeru ni kizukanakatta kara desu.

    The reason my reply was late is that I didn't notice the email. neutral

  5. 昨日きのう行いかなかったのは、単たんに忙いそがしかったからだよ。

    kinou ikanakatta no wa, tan ni isogashikatta kara da yo.

    The only reason I didn't go yesterday is that I was busy. casual

How it's formed1

All forms1

  • のがnogaalternant

    が in place of は where the focus is picked out of a set rather than set against something else — 今回こんかい特とくによかったのが、この曲きょくです.

Notes

After のは, only something だ can follow works: a noun, こと, or から/ため. A bare verb can't end the sentence there.