好きです
suki desu
The phrase "you're my crush" is expressed in Japanese as 好きです (suki desu).
While English speakers use the noun "crush" to describe the person or the feeling, Japanese speakers typically use the verb meaning "to like" to perform the act of expressing those feelings. The term 片思いの相手 can be used to refer to "someone I have a crush on" (the object of one's unrequited love).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 好きです is polite. If you replace the polite desu with the plain form だ to say 好きだ, the confession becomes more casual and direct, which is a style often seen among peers or in anime and manga.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, the subject "I" and the object "you" are often omitted when the context is clear, so 好きです functions as "I like you" or "I love you".
How do you pronounce it?
suki desu
When do people say it?
The act of saying 好きです to someone is a formal social ritual known as 告白 (confession). This act often serves as the official start of a romantic relationship.
Did you know?
- The term for confession, 告白, is also used in legal or religious contexts to mean 'confessing' a crime or a sin.
- The word 好き (suki) is technically an adjective in Japanese grammar, meaning 'likable', rather than a verb. This means you are essentially telling your crush that they are 'likable' to you.
- In Japanese culture, the act of 告白 is often viewed as a necessary 'trigger' to start dating, whereas English speakers often date to see if they have a crush.
Examples in context
- ずっと前から好きです。Zutto mae kara suki desu.I have liked you for a long time.
- 実は、あなたのことが好きです。Jitsu wa, anata no koto ga suki desu.Actually, I like you.
- 本当に好きです。Hontou ni suki desu.I really like you.
Example conversation
After school, a student confesses his feelings to a classmate.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さん、ずっと前から好きです。Misaki-san, zutto mae kara suki desu.Misaki, I have liked you for a long time.
- 美咲 Misakiえっ、大翔くん、本当？E, Hiroto-kun, hontou?Eh, Hiroto, really?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、本当です。Hai, hontou desu.Yes, it is true.
- 美咲 Misaki私も、大翔くんのことが好きです。Watashi mo, Hiroto-kun no koto ga suki desu.I like you too, Hiroto.
