What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 読書が好きです breaks down as follows: 読書 (dokusho) literally means "reading books" or "the act of reading". The particle が (ga) marks the thing being liked, which in this case is reading. And 好きです (suki desu) expresses the state of liking something.
Which one should you use?
The form 読書が好きです uses the noun 読書 (reading), while the form 本を読むのが好きです (hon o yomu no ga suki desu) uses a verb phrase to describe the action of reading books. To express a much stronger preference, you can use Hon yomu no ga daisuki to say "I really like reading books."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 読書が好きです is the standard polite way to express this preference. For a more formal expression that emphasizes the specific act of reading, you can use Hon o yomu no ga suki desu. In informal settings, you can say Hon ga suki to mean "I like books" or replace the polite ending with an informal one such as 読書が好きだ.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 読書が好きです, the particle が (ga) is used to mark the object of your liking. The phrase 好きです (suki desu) is used to express the state of liking something.
How do you pronounce it?
dokusho ga suki desu
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific word for the 'smell of old books', 古書の香り (kosho no kaori), which is a common topic of conversation among people who 読書が好き (like reading).
- In Japanese, 'liking' is often expressed as a state of being rather than an action. When you use 好きです (suki desu), you are grammatically saying that the activity of reading 'is pleasing' to you, rather than you performing the act of liking.
- While 好き (suki) is translated as 'like', it is grammatically an adjective meaning 'favorable'. This is why the particle が (ga) is used instead of the object marker を (o) found in English-style verb constructions.
Examples in context
- 読書が好きです。I like reading books.This example shows the use of 読書が好きです.Tatoeba #123400 by bunbuku, translation #261749 by CK
- 子供の頃から、読書が好きです。Kodomo no koro kara, dokusho ga suki desu.I have liked reading books since I was a child.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their hobbies in the classroom.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんは、何が好きですか？Hiroto-san wa, nani ga suki desu ka?Hiroto, what do you like?
- 大翔 Hiroto私は読書が好きです。Watashi wa dokusho ga suki desu.I like reading books.
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね！どんな本を読みますか？Ii desu ne! Donna hon o yomimasu ka?That's nice! What kind of books do you read?
- 大翔 Hirotoミステリー小説をよく読みます。Misuterii shousetsu o yoku yomimasu.I often read mystery novels.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
