猫が大好きです
neko ga daisuki desu
The English phrase "I love my cat" is expressed in Japanese as 猫が大好きです (neko ga daisuki desu).
This phrase is used to express a strong feeling of affection for one's pet cat. You may also use the informal term nyanko when referring to a cat.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down into 猫 (neko), which means cat and 大好き (daisuki), which literally means "big like." In Japanese, 大好き is the standard way to express that you love things or animals.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
A more formal version is Watashi wa, watashi no neko ga daisuki desu. For informal or casual situations, you can use Watashi wa neko ga daisuki to say "I love cats," or replace the polite ending です (desu) with だ (da) or omit the ending entirely to say 猫が大好きだ.
How do you pronounce it?
neko ga daisuki desu
What mistakes should you avoid?
Instead, use 大好き (daisuki).
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific word 猫の手も借りたい (neko no te mo karitai), which literally means 'wanting to borrow even a cat's paw' to describe being extremely busy.
- In Japanese, the word for 'love' used in romantic contexts, 愛してる (aishiteru), is rarely used for pets. Using it for your cat might actually sound strangely heavy or dramatic to a native speaker.
- In Japanese pop culture, many people refer to cats using the onomatopoeia にゃんにゃん (nyan-nyan). This mimics the sound of a cat meowing and is often used when talking about cats in a playful, almost musical way.
Examples in context
- 猫が大好きです。Neko ga daisuki desu.I love my cat.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Ren are talking about their pets.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんは動物が好きですか？Ren-san wa dōbutsu ga suki desu ka?Ren, do you like animals?
- 蓮 Renはい、猫が大好きです。Hai, neko ga daisuki desu.Yes, I love cats.
- 陽葵 Himari私もです！猫が大好きです。Watashi mo desu! Neko ga daisuki desu.Me too! I love cats.
- 蓮 Ren気が合いますね。Ki ga aimasu ne.We have a lot in common.
