好き
suki
In Japanese, "I like to" is expressed using 好き (suki).
The word 好き is used to express that someone enjoys a particular activity or thing.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you like doing an action, you must turn the verb into a noun by adding の (no) or こと (koto) before 好き. Additionally, the form 好きだ serves as the plain or informal version used with friends or in writing.
How do you pronounce it?
suki
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the particle を (wo) instead of が (ga) with 好き.
Did you know?
- In romantic contexts, 好き is often used to confess love because the word for 'love' 愛してる can feel too intense or heavy for daily use.
- The word 好き first appeared in written records as early as the late 900s in the 宇津保物語, also known as the Utsubo Monogatari.
- The word 好き can be used as a noun to describe a connoisseur or enthusiast, such as a 酒好き for someone who loves sake.
Examples in context
- 私は歌が好きだ。I like to sing.Tatoeba #2226313 by tommy_san, translation #256531 by CK
- 乗馬が好きなの。I like to ride horses.Tatoeba #9930566 by small_snow, translation #8741913 by deniko
- 仕事が好きです。I like to work.Tatoeba #10224941 by small_snow, translation #259705 by CK
- 音楽を聴くことが好きです。I like to listen to music.
- ゲームするのが好き。I like playing games.
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Daito are talking about their hobbies.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔君は、何が好き？Daito-kun wa, nani ga suki?Daito, what do you like?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕は料理が好きだよ。Boku wa ryouri ga suki dayo.I like cooking.
- 陽葵 Himariいいな！私は映画が好き。Ii na! Watashi wa eiga ga suki.That's nice! I like movies.
- 大翔 Hiroto今度一緒に映画に行こう。Kondo issho ni eiga ni ikou.Let's go to a movie together next time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 好き, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
