～が好きです – How to Say You Like (or Dislike) Something in Japanese

One of the first things people want to say when learning Japanese is something like:

• “I like sushi!”
• “I love anime!”
• “I don’t like spiders…”

To do that, you’ll need the grammar pattern:

👉 ～が好きです (ga suki desu)

It’s simple, useful, and shows up in conversations, dating profiles, anime characters' catchphrases — you name it.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to say you like or dislike something
• How to use 好き（すき）and 嫌い（きらい）
• Real-life examples with foods, people, and hobbies
• Beginner-friendly practice to make it stick

What Does ～が好きです Mean?

「好き（すき）」means “likeable” or “liked.”

So when you say:

ピザが好きです。
You're literally saying:
“As for pizza, it is liked (by me).”

So even though it sounds like a verb in English (“I like pizza”), it’s actually using 好き as an adjective in Japanese — like “pizza is liked.”

That’s why we mark the thing you like with が instead of を.

Basic Pattern

[Thing] + が + 好きです

→ I like [thing]

Examples:

• ピザが好きです。→ I like pizza.
• にほんごが好きです。→ I like Japanese.
• ねこが好きです。→ I like cats.
• おんがくが好きです。→ I like music.

Want to say you really like something? Add とても or だいすき:

• アニメがとても好きです。→ I really like anime.
• あなたがだいすきです。→ I love you. ❤️ (Whoa, confession much?)

What About Dislike?

To say you don’t like something, use:

👉 ～が好きじゃないです

(= It’s not liked.)

Or to say you dislike/hate something more strongly:

👉 ～が嫌い（きらい）です

Examples:

• トマトが好きじゃないです。→ I don’t like tomatoes.
• さかながきらいです。→ I dislike fish.
• しゅくだいがきらいです。→ I hate homework. 😤

Want to be more polite? Use あまり好きじゃないです 😅 (I don’t really like...) to soften it.

But of course, as adults often tell children, 好き嫌いはやめなさい！🙃 (Stop with the "liking" and "disliking"! = Usually means, stop with the picky eating!)

Real-Life Examples Using ～が好きです

マンガが好きです。

Manga ga suki desu. → I like manga.

いぬよりねこが好きです。

Inu yori neko ga suki desu. → I like cats more than dogs.

あまいものがすきじゃないです。

Amai mono ga suki janai desu. → I don’t like sweet things.

スポーツがきらいです。

Supootsu ga kirai desu. → I don’t like sports.

わたしはジャズがだいすきです。

Watashi wa jazu ga daisuki desu. → I love jazz.

好き vs. 好きですか？

If you want to ask someone what they like, just turn it into a question:

[Thing] が好きですか？

→ Do you like [thing]?

Examples:

• にほんごが好きですか？→ Do you like Japanese?
• どんなたべものが好きですか？→ What kind of food do you like?

Perfect for making chit-chat with new people.

Practice Time!

Practice 1: Fill in the Blank

Say what you like or don’t like:

ピザ → __________

べんきょう → __________

にほんご → __________

コーヒー → __________

トマト (dislike) → __________

Answers:

ピザが好きです。

べんきょうがすきじゃないです。

にほんごが好きです。

コーヒーが好きです。

トマトがきらいです。

Practice 2: Translate It!

Write these in Japanese:

• I love anime.
• I don’t like cold weather.
• Do you like music?

Answers:

• アニメがだいすきです。
• さむいてんきがすきじゃないです。
• おんがくがすきですか？

Final Recap

～が好きです is the Japanese grammar for talking about what you like.

• Use [thing] + が + 好きです for likes
• Use 好きじゃないです or きらいです for dislikes
• Works for people, foods, hobbies, animals — everything!

And remember:

• 好き is an adjective, not a verb
• The thing you like takes が, not を
• You can ask questions by adding ですか？