食べ物が好きです
tabemono ga suki desu
In Japanese, "I like food" is said as 食べ物が好きです (tabemono ga suki desu).
This phrase is used to express a general fondness for eating or for food in general. You can also express a stronger emotion, such as "I love food", by using the term daisuki instead of suki.
What does it mean word for word?
The word tabemono (food or meal) is a compound made of the verb stem for "eat" and the word for "thing". The word suki translates to "like" or "enjoy". The word desu is a polite copula used at the end of the sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite way to express this preference is 食べ物が好きです. You can make the statement informal or blunt by replacing desu with da, resulting in 食べ物が好きだ.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle が (ga) is used here to mark the object of your preference.
How do you pronounce it?
tabemono ga suki desu
Did you know?
- While suki is translated as 'like', it is grammatically an adjective meaning 'likable'. In Japanese, you are not performing the action of liking food, but describing the food as being in a state of being liked.
- When speaking to a host, instead of saying you like the food, it is more polite to say oishii desu (it is delicious) to compliment the cook directly.
- If you want to say you like the act of eating itself, rather than the food, you might use the word shokuji (meal/dining) instead of tabemono (food items).
Examples in context
- 食べ物が好きです。Tabemono ga suki desu.I like food.
- 昔から食べ物が好きです。Mukashi kara tabemono ga suki desu.I have liked food since I was young.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are talking about their hobbies.
- 結衣 Yui結衣さんは何が好きですか？Yui-san wa nani ga suki desu ka?What do you like, Yui?
- 健太 Kenta私は食べ物が好きです。Watashi wa tabemono ga suki desu.I like food.
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね。私も同じです。Ii desu ne. Watashi mo onaji desu.That's nice. I'm the same.
- 健太 Kenta一緒に美味しいものを食べに行きましょう。Issho ni oishii mono o tabe ni ikimashou.Let's go eat something delicious together.
