What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase ケーキが好きです, the particle が marks ケーキ (cake) as the thing that is liked, rather than the subject performing an action.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use the formal version 私はケーキが好きです. For friends or family, you can use informal versions such as ケーキが好き, 私はケーキが好きだ, 私はケーキが大好き or ケーキ好き!
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify the phrase to change the meaning or intensity. Replacing suki with daisuki increases the intensity from 'like' to 'love' (e.g., ケーキが大好きです). To express a past preference, change the copula desu to the past tense deshita (e.g., ケーキが好きでした). To express a negative preference, use suki dewa arimasen or the colloquial suki janai desu (e.g., ケーキが好きではありません). Changing the particle from ga to wa (e.g., ケーキは好きです) shifts the focus to cake as a topic, often implying a contrast, such as 'As for cake, I like it (but I might not like other things)'. Note that replacing the particle 'ga' with 'da' is not possible.
How do you pronounce it?
kēki ga suki desu
Did you know?
- The word ケーキ is a loanword from English, but in Japan, a 'Christmas cake' is traditionally a strawberry shortcake with whipped cream rather than a fruitcake or chocolate cake.
- While 好き is used for 'like', the word for 'love' in a romantic sense is 愛してる, which is far more intense and used much less frequently than the word 'love' in English.
- In Japanese, the word 好き is grammatically an adjective meaning 'likable' rather than a verb meaning 'to like'.
Examples in context
- ケーキ大好き！夕食後にケーキを食べに行こう！I love cake! Let's go get some after dinner.
- ケーキが好きです。Kēki ga suki desu.I like cake.
- 子供の頃から、ケーキが好きです。Kodomo no koro kara, kēki ga suki desu.I have liked cake since I was a child.
- 実は、甘いケーキが好きです。Jitsu wa, amai kēki ga suki desu.Actually, I like sweet cake.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are talking about desserts.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さんはケーキが好きですか？Ren-san wa kēki ga suki desu ka?Ren, do you like cake?
- 蓮 Renはい、ケーキが好きです。Hai, kēki ga suki desu.Yes, I like cake.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。一緒に食べに行きましょう。Ii desu ne. Issho ni tabe ni ikimashō.That's great. Let's go eat some together.
- 蓮 Renぜひ行きましょう！Zehi ikimashō!Let's definitely go!
