すきです
suki desupolite, everyday
The usual way to say "I like" in hiragana is すきです (suki desu). With friends you can say just すき (suki), and だいすきです (daisuki desu) means "I like it a lot".
Meaning: expressing that you like something (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| すきです | suki desu | polite, everyday |
| すき | suki | casual |
| だいすきです | daisuki desu | polite, strong |
What does it mean word for word?
すき (suki) is 好き in kanji. It is a na adjective, which is why です (desu) follows it.
Which one should you use?
だいすき (daisuki) adds だい (dai), "big", and is used for things and people you love.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
すき (suki) alone is casual. Adding です (desu) makes it polite. Saying すきです to a person can also mean a romantic confession, so check the context.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese the thing you like takes the particle が (ga). So "I like cats" is ねこが すきです (neko ga suki desu), not ねこを (neko o).
Did you know?
- The same word すき (suki) is used for liking food, hobbies and people, so the topic and tone decide the meaning.
Examples in context
- ねこが すきです。Neko ga suki desu.I like cats.
- おんがくが だいすきです。Ongaku ga daisuki desu.I love music.
- りんごは あまり すきじゃない。Ringo wa amari suki ja nai.I do not like apples very much.
Example conversation
Hana asks her new classmate Ryo about his hobbies.
- Hanaなにが すき？Nani ga suki?What do you like?
- Ryoサッカーが すきです。Sakkā ga suki desu.I like soccer.
- Hanaわたしも だいすき。Watashi mo daisuki.I love it too.
