“Like” in Japanese is 好き (すき), pronounced suki.
Pronunciation
The word has 2 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
To like. Grammatically a な-adjective, so the liked thing takes が: 猫が好きです. Also used to confess love.
Example sentences
- 日本料理が好きです。にほんりょうりがすきです。I like Japanese food.
- 好きな色は何ですか。すきないろはなんですか。What’s your favourite colour?
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 好き. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | 好きな〜 すきな〜 | like (thing) |
| Polite present | 好きです すきです | is like |
| Negative | 好きじゃないです すきじゃないです | isn’t like |
| Past | 好きでした すきでした | was like |
| Past negative | 好きじゃなかったです すきじゃなかったです | wasn’t like |
| Adverb (に) | 好きに すきに | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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What does {{好き}} mean?
How do you read {{好き}}?
Which word means “big”?
Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say like in Japanese?
Like in Japanese is 好き (すき), pronounced “suki”.
How do you write like in Japanese?
It's written 好き with kanji, or すき in hiragana. Both are read suki.
Is 好き on the JLPT?
Yes. 好き (suki) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.