好きな人がいます
suki na hito ga imasu
The English phrase 'I like someone' is expressed in Japanese as 好きな人がいます (suki na hito ga imasu).
This phrase is the standard way to disclose to a third party that you have a crush or are in love with someone. It is used to state the fact that you have romantic feelings for a specific person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'there is a person (that I) like'.
Which one should you use?
While 好きな人がいます is used to state the fact that you have a crush to others, 好きです is the direct way to confess your feelings to the person themselves.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, the phrase 好きやねん can be used instead of the informal 好きだよ。
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite version of the phrase ends in います. To use the informal version, replace います with the dictionary form いる, resulting in 好きな人がいる. To express the past tense 'I liked someone', change the verb at the end to imashita for polite speech or ita for informal speech.
How do you pronounce it?
suki na hito ga imasu
Did you know?
- In Japanese media, a 'confession' of love is often called a 告白 (kokuhaku). This word is the exact same term used for a formal legal or official declaration, such as a confession to authorities.
- While 好きな人がいます admits a crush to friends, the act of confessing feelings directly to the person is called kokuhaku. This is a distinct social ritual in Japan where the relationship officially begins only after this formal declaration.
- When someone says 好きな人がいます, a common cultural response is to ask if the person is 片思い 'kataomoi'. This term literally means 'one-sided love' and describes an unrequited crush.
Examples in context
- わたし、あなたのことが好きです。I like you.
- 実は、好きな人がいます。Jitsu wa, suki na hito ga imasu.Actually, I like someone.
- ずっと前から、好きな人がいます。Zutto mae kara, suki na hito ga imasu.I have liked someone for a long time.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking about their love lives.
- 結衣 Yui結衣、最近誰かいい人はいる？Yui, saikin dareka ii hito wa iru?Yui, is there anyone special lately?
- 蓮 Renうん、実は好きな人がいます。Un, jitsu wa suki na hito ga imasu.Yes, actually, there is someone I like.
- 結衣 Yuiえっ！誰なの？E! Dare nano?What! Who is it?
- 蓮 Renそれは秘密だよ。Sore wa himitsu da yo.That is a secret.
