Lesson 24 · about 2 minutes

Like and dislike

suki · kirai · suki desu · kirai desu

すき・きらい・すき です・きらい です

You'll learn how to say you like or dislike something.

The words

RomajiJapaneseReadingMeaning
sukiすきすきlike / fond of
kiraiきらいきらいdislike / not fond of
suki desuすき ですすき ですI like it.
kirai desuきらい ですきらい ですI dislike it.

How they differ

The thing you like or dislike often takes が (ga):

「すし が すき です。」(sushi ga suki desu): I like sushi.

「コーヒー が きらい です。」(koohii ga kirai desu): I dislike coffee.

Soften with あまり (amari) + negative if you need it later; for now, learn the clear pair.

Asking: 「なに が すき ですか?」(nani ga suki desu ka?): What do you like?

すき / きらい behave a bit like adjectives with です — you don't need a separate "like-verb" here.

Heart split: すき = like, きらい = dislike. Put が on the thing: X が すき です.

One line: X が すき / きらい です.

Next: Time words for stories: いま / きょう / あした / きのう (ima / kyou / ashita / kinou).

See it in a sentence

  1. sushi ga suki desu

    すし が すき です。

    I like sushi. (polite)

  2. koohii ga kirai desu

    コーヒー が きらい です。

    I dislike coffee. (polite)

  3. nani ga suki desu ka?

    なに が すき ですか?

    What do you like? (polite)

  4. inu ga suki desu

    いぬ が すき です。

    I like dogs. (polite)

  5. sore, suki?

    それ、すき?

    Do you like that? (casual)

Watch out

すき (suki) = like / きらい (kirai) = dislike が (ga) often marks the liked thing: X が すき — not を here たいです (tai desu) = want to do a verb / すき です = like a thing (feeling)

Try it

  1. In your next story, find すき or きらい. Say the line out loud and name what is liked or disliked.

    Check against the lesson cluster and say it out loud.