N5#adjectives#na-adjectives#skills#n5-describing

上手 / 下手 (Good/Bad At)

Learn how to express your skill level in various activities using the adjectives jouzu and heta.

Context

Talking about skills

When you meet new people in Japan, you might talk about your hobbies or what you are good at. Whether it is cooking, sports, or speaking a language, you will need a way to describe your proficiency level.

Imagine you are at a party. Someone asks you if you can play the piano. You want to say that you are quite good at it, or perhaps admit that you are not very good yet. This lesson covers the essential words to express these abilities.

Explanation

The structure of skill

To describe being good or bad at something, we use the na-adjectives 'jouzu' (good at) and 'heta' (bad at).

はがです

In this pattern, the particle 'ga' is used to mark the skill or activity. Note that 'jouzu' and 'heta' are na-adjectives, so they function like other descriptive words in Japanese.

Tip

Be careful when using these words to describe yourself! Calling yourself 'jouzu' can sound a bit arrogant, and calling yourself 'heta' can sound overly self-deprecating. It is common to add 'amari' (not very) before 'heta' to soften the blow.

Examples

Seeing it in action

Here are common ways to use these adjectives.

田中さん(たなかさん)は料理(りょうり)が上手(じょうず)です。

Tanaka-san is good at cooking.

田中さんたなかさんTanaka-san料理りょうりcooking上手じょうずgood at

私(わたし)はテニス(てにす)があまり上手(じょうず)ではありません。

I am not very good at tennis.

私わたしIテニスてにすtennisあまりあまりnot very上手じょうずgood at

弟(おとうと)は歌(うた)が下手(へた)です。

My younger brother is bad at singing.

弟おとうとyounger brother歌うたsong/singing下手へたbad at

私は日本語【が】下手です。

Hint: Use the particle that marks the skill.

I am bad at Japanese.

Usage

Nuance and Politeness

While 'jouzu' and 'heta' are useful, they carry specific social weight.

Direct vs Softened

下手です

Very direct; can sound harsh.

歌が下手です。

あまり上手ではありません

Polite and indirect; preferred in conversation.

歌があまり上手ではありません。

Which is the most polite way to say you are not good at something?

下手です。
✓ あまり上手ではありません。

Using the negative form of 'jouzu' is much softer and more polite than directly saying 'heta'.

Deep dive

Advanced usage

A few extra details to keep in mind.

You might hear 'jouzu' used to praise others. For example, saying 'Nihongo ga jouzu desu ne!' is a very common compliment. However, avoid using 'jouzu' to praise your superiors, as it can sound like you are judging their performance.

Summary

Recap

You have learned how to use 'jouzu' and 'heta' with the particle 'ga' to describe skill levels. Remember that 'ga' marks the skill, and using the negative form of 'jouzu' is often more polite than using 'heta'.

上手

じょうずna-adjective

good at

下手

へたna-adjective

bad at

料理

りょうりnoun

cooking

歌

うたnoun

song/singing