あなたが好きです
anata ga suki desu
To say "I have a crush on you" in Japanese, you use あなたが好きです (anata ga suki desu).
The phrase あなたが好きです is a way to express that you are romantically attracted to someone. In Japanese, the subject I is often omitted when it is clear from the context that you are describing your own feelings. Depending on the situation, there are several other ways to express attraction: 気になります is a polite way to say you are interested in someone, while 好意を抱いています is a more formal way to say you hold favorable feelings for someone. If you want to emphasize the realization of falling in love, you can use 好きになっちゃった or use the colloquial 惚れちゃった to indicate you have unexpectedly fallen in love.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase あなたが好きです literally translates to 'As for you, [I] like [you]'.
Which one should you use?
If you wish to increase the intensity of your feelings from 'like' to 'love' or 'really like', you can add dai to the front of suki to make it 大好きです.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more casual tone among peers or lovers, you can replace desu with the particle da yo to say 好きだよ.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase あなたが好きです, the particle ga is used to mark the person who is being liked.
How do you pronounce it?
anata ga suki desu
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the object particle wo instead of the particle ga with the word suki. Avoid saying あなたを好きです.
Did you know?
- In Japan, the most common way to confess feelings is not a long speech, but the single word 好きです (suki desu). This is known as 'kokuhaku' or 'confession', a formal ritual that marks the official start of a relationship.
- While suki means 'like', Japanese speakers often use it for 'love' because the word for love, ai, is considered too intense or heavy for daily conversation.
- The word suki is an adjective in Japanese grammar, not a verb. This is why it is paired with the particle ga instead of the object marker wo.
Examples in context
- あなたに対して、好意を抱いています。I have a crush on you.
- 君には惚れちゃったんだよ。I've fallen for you.
- すごく好きだよ。I really like you.
- ずっと前から、あなたが好きです。Zutto mae kara, anata ga suki desu.I have liked you for a long time.
- 本当の気持ちを伝えます。あなたが好きです。Hontou no kimochi o tsutaemasu. Anata ga suki desu.I will tell you my true feelings. I have a crush on you.
Example conversation
A quiet park at sunset where Yota finally confesses his feelings to Himari.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵さん、実は、あなたが好きです。Himari-san, jitsu wa, anata ga suki desu.Himari, actually, I have a crush on you.
- 陽葵 Himariえっ、本当ですか？驚きました。E', hontou desu ka? Odorokimashita.Eh, really? I'm surprised.
- 陽太 Yotaずっと前から、ずっと前から思っていました。Zutto mae kara, zutto mae kara omotte imashita.I have been thinking this for a long time, a very long time.
- 陽葵 Himari私も、同じ気持ちです。Watashi mo, onaji kimochi desu.I feel the same way.
