N5#adjectives#likes#dislikes#particles

好き / 嫌い (Likes & Dislikes)

Express what you like and dislike.

Context

Getting to know someone

When you meet new people in Japan, a common way to build rapport is by talking about your hobbies, food preferences, or favorite places. Using the words for 'like' and 'dislike' allows you to share your personality and find common ground with others.

たなかさんは、なにがすきですか？

田中さんは、何が好きですか？

Tanaka-san, what do you like?

わたしはすしがすきです。

私は寿司が好きです。

I like sushi.

Explanation

How to express preferences

In Japanese, 'like' (好き) and 'dislike' (嫌い) function as **na-adjectives**. Because they describe a state of feeling toward an object, we use the particle **が** to mark the object being liked or disliked.

PersonはObjectが好き/嫌いです

The particle は marks the person whose preference is being stated (the topic). The particle が marks the specific thing that is liked or disliked. Even though in English we say 'I like sushi,' in Japanese, the structure is essentially 'As for me, sushi is likable.'

Tip

Remember that 好き (suki) and 嫌い (kirai) are na-adjectives. If you want to say you like something 'very much,' use the adverb とても before the adjective (e.g., とても好きです).

Examples

Seeing it in action

Here are common ways to use these adjectives to express your feelings.

私(わたし)は猫(ねこ)が好き(すき)です。

I like cats.

私わたしI猫ねこcat好きすきlike

納豆(なっとう)が嫌い(きらい)です。

I dislike natto.

納豆なっとうnatto嫌いきらいdislike

私はあまりスポーツ(すぽーつ)が好きじゃありません(すきじゃありません)。

I don't really like sports.

あまりあまりnot muchスポーツすぽーつsports好きじゃありませんすきじゃありませんam not fond of

私はコーヒー【が】好きです。

Hint: Use the particle that marks the object of preference.

I like coffee.

Usage

Nuance and Politeness

While 好き and 嫌い are standard, be careful with how strongly you use 嫌い (kirai).

Watch out

The word 嫌い (kirai) is quite direct and can sound harsh or rude depending on the context. If you want to say you don't like something in a softer way, it is common to say 'I don't like it very much' (あまり好きじゃありません) instead of saying 'I hate/dislike it'.

Which is the most polite/softer way to express dislike?

嫌いです
✓ あまり好きじゃありません
嫌いだ

Using 'あまり好きじゃありません' is a polite, indirect way to express negative preference, which is preferred in Japanese social settings.

Deep dive

Advanced notes

A few extra details for your Japanese journey.

Can I use 'da' instead of 'desu'?

Yes. In casual conversation with friends, you can drop 'desu' and use the plain form 'suki da' or 'kirai da'. However, always stick to 'desu' when speaking to people you don't know well or in professional settings.

Summary

Lesson Recap

To express likes and dislikes, use the structure [Person] は [Object] が [好き/嫌い] です. Remember that 好き and 嫌い are na-adjectives, and use the particle が to mark the object of your preference.

好き

すきna-adjective

嫌い

きらいna-adjective

dislike

とても

とてもadverb

very

あまり

あまりadverb

not much