Nominalisation: -기 vs. -ㅁ / -음 vs. -는 것

Comparison of Korean Nominalization Methods

NominalizationUsageTone/FormalityNotesExample
-기Turns verbs into nouns for general actionsNeutral, more abstractUsed for habits, preferences, or abstract actions책 읽기 좋아해요 (“I like reading books”)
-ㅁ / -음Turns verbs/adjectives into nouns for facts or conceptsSlightly formal or literaryCommon in writing and announcements출발함을 알렸다 (“[He] announced the departure”)
-는 것Describes ongoing or specific actionsConversational and flexibleUsed in daily speech to describe or emphasize actions공부하는 것이 중요해요 (“Studying is important”)