Suki is an adjective, and that explains the ga
In English, like is a verb with an object: I like sushi. In Japanese, suki is a na-adjective that describes a state, closer to 'sushi is liked' or 'sushi is pleasing'. The thing you like therefore takes ga, the marker for the subject of a state, and the person doing the liking is the topic with wa, usually left out because it is obviously you: watashi wa sushi ga suki desu, or simply sushi ga suki desu.
Because it is a na-adjective, all the forms follow one pattern. Suki desu is present polite, suki deshita is past, suki ja nai desu or suki de wa arimasen is negative, suki ja nakatta desu is past negative. Before a noun it takes na: suki na tabemono, food you like; suki na hito, a person you like. The plain forms for friends are suki da, suki datta, suki ja nai.
Asking is easy: X ga suki desu ka, or X wa suki desu ka when X is the topic. The polite answers are hai, suki desu and iie, amari suki ja nai desu. Notice that the answer keeps suki: you cannot answer with a bare hai the way English answers 'yes I do'.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 日本の音楽が好きです。 | Nihon no ongaku ga suki desu. | I like Japanese music. |
| 子どものころ、ピーマンが好きじゃなかったです。 | Kodomo no koro, pīman ga suki ja nakatta desu. | When I was a child, I didn't like green peppers. |
| 好きな食べ物は何ですか。 | Suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka. | What food do you like? |
| 寿司は好きですか。 | Sushi wa suki desu ka. | Do you like sushi? |
| はい、好きです。特にサーモンが好きです。 | Hai, suki desu. Toku ni sāmon ga suki desu. | Yes, I do. I especially like salmon. |
| どちらのほうが好きですか。 | Dochira no hō ga suki desu ka. | Which do you prefer? |
Suki, daisuki, ki ni iru and konomi
Japanese has several words that English folds into like, and choosing the right one changes how you sound. Suki is the neutral, general word for liking a category: coffee, dogs, travel. Daisuki adds dai, big, and means to love or really like; it is warm and slightly childlike in a nice way, so it suits favourite foods, pets, family and beloved places. Adults use it freely about things and, with care, about people.
Ki ni iru is a verb meaning to take a liking to a specific item, usually something you have just met: a jacket you tried on, a café you visited, a present you received. It takes ga as well, and the common forms are ki ni itte imasu, I like it, and ki ni irimashita, I've taken to it. O-ki ni iri is a favourite item or a bookmark.
Konomi is a noun meaning taste or preference. Watashi no konomi desu means it is to my taste; konomi ja nai means it is not my type. The related verb konomu, to prefer, is formal and mostly written.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| このカフェ、気に入りました。 | Kono kafe, ki ni irimashita. | I've taken a liking to this café. |
| プレゼント、気に入ってくれてよかったです。 | Purezento, ki ni itte kurete yokatta desu. | I'm glad you like the present. |
| 犬が大好きです。 | Inu ga daisuki desu. | I love dogs. |
| この色は私の好みです。 | Kono iro wa watashi no konomi desu. | This colour is to my taste. |
| 甘いものはあまり好みではありません。 | Amai mono wa amari konomi de wa arimasen. | Sweet things aren't really my preference. |
| お気に入りの店はどこですか。 | O-ki ni iri no mise wa doko desu ka. | Where is your favourite shop? |
Talking about favourite foods, hobbies and preferences
Most everyday uses of suki are small talk about preferences, and Japanese people ask these questions often, so it is worth having ready answers. The key structure is suki na plus a noun: suki na tabemono, suki na ongaku, suki na kisetsu, suki na basho. Answer with the thing plus desu, and add a reason with kara if you want to keep the conversation going.
For hobbies, the noun shumi is common: shumi wa nan desu ka, what are your hobbies. Suki lets you answer with an activity by turning the verb into a noun with koto or no: eiga o miru koto ga suki desu, I like watching films. The koto version is slightly more formal and safer for interviews; no is more casual.
To say you like something the most, use ichiban: ichiban suki na tabemono wa rāmen desu. For a lot without daisuki, use totemo or, casually, sugoku.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 好きな季節は秋です。 | Suki na kisetsu wa aki desu. | My favourite season is autumn. |
| 映画を見ることが好きです。 | Eiga o miru koto ga suki desu. | I like watching films. |
| 一番好きな食べ物はラーメンです。 | Ichiban suki na tabemono wa rāmen desu. | My favourite food is ramen. |
| 料理するのが好きで、週末によく作ります。 | Ryōri suru no ga suki de, shūmatsu ni yoku tsukurimasu. | I like cooking, so I often cook at weekends. |
| 辛いものがすごく好きです。 | Karai mono ga sugoku suki desu. | I really like spicy food. |
| 静かな場所が好きです。 | Shizuka na basho ga suki desu. | I like quiet places. |
Softening dislike: amari suki ja nai and friends
Japanese speakers rarely say kirai, dislike, about ordinary things, and almost never to someone's face about their cooking, taste or hometown. The everyday way is to weaken suki: amari suki ja nai desu, I don't like it much, or sonna ni suki ja nai, not that keen. The listener understands you mean you dislike it.
Nigate, meaning weak at or not good with, is the other standard softener, especially for foods and situations: nattō wa chotto nigate desu, natto is a bit of a struggle for me. It frames the dislike as your own limitation rather than a judgement on the thing, which is exactly the tone Japanese prefers. Chotto in front of either phrase softens it further.
When you do want to say you like something but with a reservation, use kedo or ga: suki desu kedo, takai desu ne, I like it, but it's expensive. And when asked about something you have never tried, do not guess: mada tabeta koto ga nai desu, I haven't tried it yet, is the honest answer.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 納豆はあまり好きじゃないです。 | Nattō wa amari suki ja nai desu. | I don't like natto much. |
| 人が多いところはちょっと苦手です。 | Hito ga ōi tokoro wa chotto nigate desu. | I'm not great with crowded places. |
| 嫌いじゃないですが、あまり食べません。 | Kirai ja nai desu ga, amari tabemasen. | I don't dislike it, but I don't eat it much. |
| 好きですけど、高いですね。 | Suki desu kedo, takai desu ne. | I like it, but it's expensive. |
| まだ食べたことがないです。 | Mada tabeta koto ga nai desu. | I haven't tried it yet. |
Suki desu said to a person
Suki desu about a thing is harmless, but said to a person, about that person, it can be a confession of love. Japanese has no everyday equivalent of 'I love you' in the Western sense, so suki desu carries the weight in romantic confessions, kokuhaku. Because of that, saying anata ga suki desu to a colleague as a compliment on their work will land very differently from how you meant it.
Context decides. Talking about a person who is not present, suki is just like: Tanaka-san ga suki desu, I like Tanaka. Adding a reason keeps it clear: Tanaka-san wa yasashii kara suki desu, I like Tanaka because she is kind. Face to face, the safe way to say you enjoy someone's company is issho ni iru to tanoshii desu, it is fun being with you, and the safe way to admire someone is sonkei shite imasu, I respect you.
If you do mean it romantically, suki desu, tsukiatte kudasai, I like you, please go out with me, is the standard set phrase. For a fuller treatment of confessions and the difference between ai and koi, see this site's separate guides on saying I love you in Japanese and on the two words for love.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 田中さんは優しいから好きです。 | Tanaka-san wa yasashii kara suki desu. | I like Tanaka because she's kind. |
| 一緒にいると楽しいです。 | Issho ni iru to tanoshii desu. | It's fun being with you. |
| 先輩のことを尊敬しています。 | Senpai no koto o sonkei shite imasu. | I really respect you (to a senior). |
| 好きです。付き合ってください。 | Suki desu. Tsukiatte kudasai. | I like you. Please go out with me. |
| 友達として好きです。 | Tomodachi to shite suki desu. | I like you as a friend. |
Preference words at a glance
The words below cover the scale from love to dislike, with the grammar type that tells you how each one behaves in a sentence. Na-adjectives take na before nouns and desu at the end; verbs conjugate; nouns take no.
| Word | Reading | Type and meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 大好き | daisuki | na-adjective; love, really like |
| 好き | suki | na-adjective; like |
| 気に入る | ki ni iru | verb; take a liking to a specific thing |
| お気に入り | o-ki ni iri | noun; a favourite, a bookmark |
| 好み | konomi | noun; taste, preference |
| 好む | konomu | verb; prefer (formal, written) |
| まあまあ好き | mā mā suki | like it moderately, it's all right |
| あまり好きじゃない | amari suki ja nai | don't like much (polite dislike) |
| 苦手 | nigate | na-adjective; not good with, can't handle |
| 嫌い | kirai | na-adjective; dislike (strong) |
| 大嫌い | daikirai | na-adjective; hate |
Notice that suki, kirai and nigate all take ga: neko ga suki, neko ga nigate, neko ga kirai. Only ki ni iru is a true verb, and even that one keeps ga for the thing you like.
Common mistakes with suki
The first mistake is using o: sushi o suki desu is wrong, because suki is not a verb. Say sushi ga suki desu. The second is forgetting na: suki tabemono is missing the na that joins a na-adjective to a noun. The third is conjugating suki like a verb: suki shimasu, suki shite imasu and suki shimashita do not exist. Use suki desu, suki deshita and, for a specific new thing, ki ni irimashita.
The fourth is aiming daisuki at a person you barely know; between friends it is warm, to a new acquaintance it is startling. The fifth is answering a suki question with a bare hai: Japanese expects hai, suki desu.
- Say X ga suki desu, never X o suki desu
- Put na before a noun: suki na hito, suki na iro
- Do not conjugate suki as a verb; use desu, deshita, ja nai desu
- Answer suki desu ka with hai, suki desu, not just hai
- Save daisuki for things, pets, family and close friends