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I'm going through [ekubo basic Japanese
lessons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Vb9MJVous&list=PLINFE8v4DOhu_3LutLwJWetAhdcCrBF4X&index=46)
and there's a recurring use of the word こと I don't understand, like in this
sentence:

> そとで、ものをうっている **こと** が多いです

Translated in the video as

> People usually sell something outside

My intuition would be that it is used to turn うっている into a noun (something
like selling-activity)...
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question
grammar formal-nouns nominalization
What does こと mean in this context? そとで、ものをうっていることが多いです
It's called nominalization, and yes, it is used to turn verbs (and verb
clauses into nouns).

[Verb clauses as
nouns](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/complete/verb_clauses)

> All we need to treat verb clauses as a noun is by attaching a generic noun
> to the clause: 「こと」（事）
>
> 「の」 can also be used as a noun replacement. The difference is 「こと」 is a more
> general statement while 「の」 is specific to the context of the sentence.

Further reading:

  * [Nominalization with のが、のを](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/11566/11830)
  * [What is the difference between the nominalizers こと and の?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/1395/11830)
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answer
The こと means [場合]{ばあい}, "case, circumstance, occasion, instance" (See
definition #②-6-㋑ in
[デジタル大辞泉](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/80340/meaning/m0u/)).

You can use 「～ことが多い(です)」 to mean 「～場合が多い(です)」, "It is often the case that..."
"in many cases..." "often..." "tend to..." etc.

So, your example sentence can be rephrased this way:

> [外]{そと}で[物]{もの}を[売]{う}っている **こと** が[多]{おお}いです。  
>  ≂ 外で物を売っている[場合]{ばあい}が多いです。  
>  (lit.) Cases where (people) are selling things outside are many.  
>  → It is often the case that they sell things outdoors.

Examples of ～ことが多いです:

> [子供]{こども}は、ピーマンが[嫌]{きら}いな **こと** が多いです。  
>  Kids often dislike green pepper.  
>  [朝夕]{あさゆう}の[電車]{でんしゃ}は、[混]{こ}んでいる **こと** が多いです。  
>  Trains are often crowded in the morning and evening.  
>  [不注意]{ふちゅうい}から、[事故]{じこ}が[起]{お}こる **こと** が多いです。  
>  Carelessness tends to result in accidents.

Similar use of this こと:

> [価格]{かかく}は、[予告]{よこく}なく[変更]{へんこう}する **ことがあります** 。  
>  Prices may change without prior notice.  
>  バスは **ときどき** 、[遅]{おく}れる **ことがあります** 。  
>  Buses are sometimes late.
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answer