Would you like to say you like something in Japanese?
These are five ways to talk about your likes.
Contents
好きです suki desu
好きです “suki desu” is the most standard way of saying you like something.
You can express how much you like something by adding adverbs.
だいすきです I like it a lot. ＞すきです I like it. ＞ちょっと好きです I like it a little. ＞あまりすきじゃないです I don’t like it much. ＞きらいです I hate it.
Remember that you need to say が “ga” before something you like.
| 猫が大好きです。 Neko ga daisuki desu / I like cats a lot. | |
| 猫が好きです。 Neko ga suki desu / I like cats. | |
| 猫がちょっと好きです。 Neko ga chotto suki desu / I like cats a little. | |
| 猫があまり好きじゃありません。 Neko ga amari suki ja arimasen / I like cats a little. | |
| 猫がきらいです。 Neko ga kirai desu / I like cats. |
気に入っています kiniitte imasu
If you’d like to say you like your school, job, house, new hair, new shoes and so on, you can say 気に入っています “kiniiitte imasu”.
お気に入り(=favorite) is a noun for 気に入っています.
| 新しいスマホが気に入っています。 Atarashii sumaho ga kiniitte imasu / I like my new phone. | |
| このブーツはわたしのお気に入りです。 Kono buutsu wa watashino okiniiridesu / These boots are my favorites. |
はまっています hamatte imasu
If you want to say you’re into something, you can say はまっています “hamatteimasu”.
| 卓球にはまっています Takkyuu ni hamatte imasu / I’m into ping-pong. |
いいですね / にあっていますね iidesune / niatte imasune
If you want to compliment others by saying like “I like your hair” or “You look nice in that dress”, you can say いいですね “iidesune” or 似合っていますね “niatte imasune”.
| ヘアスタイル、いいですね。 hea stairu iidesune / I like your hair style. | |
| そのドレス、似合っていますね。 Sono doresu niatte imasune / You look nice in that dress |
嫌いじゃないです kirai janaidesu
When you are asked whether you like something or not, you can answer by saying 嫌いじゃないです “kirai janaidesu.” 嫌い means don’t like, therefore, kirai janai desu is a double negative, which means you like the thing.
| ワインはきらいじゃないです。 Wain wa kirajanaidesu / I like wine. |
Learn more about Japanese
There are more secrets and tips about Japanese writing. If you want to learn more, you can find teachers here.
