Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 私は読書が好きです | watashi wa dokusho ga suki desu |
| 私は本を読むのが大好きだ | watashi wa hon wo yomu ga daisuki da |
These phrases are used to indicate that the speaker enjoys the activity of reading books. You can also use similar structures to express fondness for specific genres, such as saying SFが好きです to mean 'I like science fiction'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 読書 (dokusho) literally means 'reading books' as a noun.
Which one should you use?
The form 私は本を読むのが大好きだ is much stronger than 私は読書が好きです. While the latter expresses a general liking, the former expresses a love for reading.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 私は読書が好きです is the standard polite way to express this preference in daily conversation. In contrast, 私は本を読むのが大好きだ uses the plain form だ, making it informal and suitable for friends or personal writing. Other variations include the formal 本を読むのが好きです and the formal 読書が趣味です, which translates to 'Reading is a hobby of mine'. There is also an informal way to say 'I like reading' using 読むことが好きだよ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, the word めっちゃ is used to mean 'very' or 'really'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 私は本を読むのが大好きだ, the particle combination のが acts as a nominalizing particle, turning the verb phrase 'to read books' into a noun phrase. Additionally, in Japanese, the thing that is liked is marked with the particle が rather than を.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi wa dokusho ga suki desu
Did you know?
- When talking about reading, you might hear the expression 空気を読む (kūki o yomu), which literally means 'to read the air'. It is a crucial social skill used to describe sensing the mood or atmosphere of a room.
- While 大好き (daisuki) expresses a strong love, using it to describe a hobby can sometimes come across as overly intense or even childish. To sound more poised and mature, it is better to say 趣味です (shumi desu), meaning 'it is my hobby'.
- While 'reading' is a common hobby, the Japanese word for 'book' 本 (hon) is a homonym for the word meaning 'origin' or 'root'.
Examples in context
- 私は読書が好きです。I like reading books.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say 'I like reading books.'Tatoeba #154792 by small_snow, translation #261749 by CK
- 社会科学の本を読むのが好きです。I like reading books on social sciences.
- 文学を読むことが趣味です。Reading literature is a hobby of mine.
- マンガを読むことが好きだよ。I like reading manga.
- めっちゃ本が好きやねんI really like books.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さんは、趣味は何ですか？Himari-san wa, shumi wa nan desu ka?Himari, what is your hobby?
- 陽葵 Himari私は読書が好きです。健太さんは？Watashi wa dokusho ga suki desu. Kenta-san wa?I like reading. How about you, Kenta?
- 健太 Kenta私は映画を見るのが好きです。Watashi wa eiga o miru no ga suki desu.I like watching movies.
- 陽葵 Himariそれは素敵ですね。Sore wa suteki desu ne.That is lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like reading” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
