What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from 犬, meaning "dog" and 大好き, which means "big like."
Which one should you use?
While 好きです means "like", using 大好きです expresses a much stronger affection. You may also encounter 犬が大好きですよ, which can be translated as "I really love dogs."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the setting. The formal version is 犬が大好きです. For an informal tone, you can use 犬が大好きだよ or simply drop the ending to say 犬が大好き. To be more blunt or informal, you can use 犬が大好きだ. For very casual speech, 犬が超好き！ means "I really love dogs!", where 超好き is a colloquial way to say "really love."
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the particle が marks the dog as the object of affection. This differs from the particle を, which is typically used for direct objects in other contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
inu ga daisuki desu
Did you know?
- The character for 犬 is used as a radical in many other kanji, often appearing as a small version of the character to indicate a meaning related to animals or loyalty.
- While English speakers use the verb 'to love' for both people and pets, Japanese-speakers often avoid the word 愛している (ai shite iru) for animals, as it can sound overly dramatic or even romantic. Using 大好き is the more natural way to show deep affection for a pet.
- If you want to describe a person who loves dogs, you can add 好き to the end of the animal's name, creating 犬好き, which acts as a noun meaning 'dog lover'.
Examples in context
- 僕は犬が大好きです。I love dogs.This sentence is useful for saying "I love dogs."Tatoeba #81917 by tommy__san, translation #2006612 by AlanF_US
- 私は昔から犬が大好きです。watashi wa mukashi kara inu ga daisuki desu.I have loved dogs since I was young.
Example conversation
Himi and Yota are talking about their favorite animals.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くんは、動物が好きですか？Yota-kun wa, doubutsu ga suki desu ka?Yota, do you like animals?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、特に犬が大好きです。hai, tokuni inu ga daisuki desu.Yes, I especially love dogs.
- 陽葵 Himariいいですね。私も犬が好きです。ii desu ne. watashi mo inu ga suki desu.That's nice. I like dogs too.
- 陽太 Yota今度、一緒に犬カフェに行きましょう。kondo, issho ni inu kafe ni ikimashou.Let's go to a dog cafe together sometime.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
