Lesson 9: Likes, Dislikes and Abilities

Learn how to express preferences, abilities and daily activities in Japanese

In this Lesson, you will learn how to talk about your likes, dislikes, skills, and daily activities. You

Key topics:

・Expressing likes and dislikes (好き、嫌い)
・Talking about skills and abilities (上手、下手)
・Discussing hobbies and activities
・Giving reasons with から
・Expressing quantities (たくさん、少し、全然)
・Family terms (husband, wife, child)

Vocabulary

わかります

wakarimasu

分わかります

understand

Example

日本にっぽん語ごがわかります.

Nihongo ga wakarimasu.

I understand Japanese.

あります

arimasu

have, exist (inanimate)

Example

じかんがあります.

Jikan ga arimasu.

I have time.

すき

suki

好すき

Example

さかながすきです.

Sakana ga suki desu.

I like fish.

きらい

kirai

嫌きらい

dislike

Example

やさいがきらいです.

Yasai ga kirai desu.

I dislike vegetables.

じょうず

jōzu

上手じょうず

good at

Example

かれはりょうりがじょうずです.

Kare wa ryōri ga jōzu desu.

He is good at cooking.

へた

heta

下手へた

poor at

Example

わたしはダンスがへたです.

Watashi wa dansu ga heta desu.

I am poor at dancing.

りょうり

ryōri

料理りょうり

dish (cooked food), cooking

Example

にほんりょうりがすきです.

Nihon ryōri ga suki desu.

I like Japanese food.

のみもの

nomimono

飲のみ物もの

drinks

Example

のみものはなにがいいですか.

Nomimono wa nani ga ii desu ka?

What drink would you like?

スポーツ

supōtsu

sports

Example

スポーツがすきです.

Supōtsu ga suki desu.

I like sports.

スポーツをします

supōtsu o shimasu

play sports

Example

しゅうまつにスポーツをします.

Shūmatsu ni supōtsu o shimasu.

I play sports on weekends.

やきゅう

yakyū

野球やきゅう

baseball

Example

やきゅうをみます.

Yakyū o mimasu.

I watch baseball.

やきゅうをします

yakyū o shimasu

play baseball

Example

どようびにやきゅうをします.

Doyōbi ni yakyū o shimasu.

I play baseball on Saturdays.

ダンス

dansu

dance

Example

ダンスがじょうずです.

Dansu ga jōzu desu.

She is good at dancing.

ダンスをします

dansu o shimasu

dance

Example

パーティーでダンスをします.

Pātī de dansu o shimasu.

I dance at parties.

おんがく

ongaku

音楽おんがく

music

Example

おんがくをききます.

Ongaku o kikimasu.

I listen to music.

うた

uta

歌うた

song

Example

にほんのうたがすきです.

Nihon no uta ga suki desu.

I like Japanese songs.

クラシック

kurashikku

classical music

Example

クラシックがすきです.

Kurashikku ga suki desu.

I like classical music.

ジャズ

jazu

jazz

Example

ジャズをききます.

Jazu o kikimasu.

I listen to jazz.

コンサート

konsāto

concert

Example

コンサートにいきました.

Konsaato ni ikimashita.

I went to a concert.

カラオケ

karaoke

Example

ともだちとカラオケにいきます.

Tomodachi to karaoke ni ikimasu.

I go to karaoke with friends.

かぶき

kabuki

歌舞伎かぶき

Kabuki (traditional Japanese musical drama)

Example

かぶきをみたことがあります.

Kabuki o mita koto ga arimasu.

I have seen Kabuki.

え

絵え

picture, drawing

Example

このえはきれいです.

Kono e wa kirei desu.

This picture is beautiful.

じ

字じ

letter, character

Example

にほんのじをべんきょうします.

Nihon no ji o benkyō shimasu.

I study Japanese characters.

かんじ

kanji

漢字かんじ

Chinese characters

Example

かんじがむずかしいです.

Kanji ga muzukashii desu.

Kanji is difficult.

ひらがな

hiragana

Hiragana script

Example

ひらがながかけます.

Hiragana ga kakemasu.

I can write hiragana.

かたかな

katakana

Katakana script

Example

かたかなをべんきょうしています.

Katakana o benkyō shite imasu.

I am studying katakana.

ローマじ

rōmaji

the Roman alphabet

Example

ローマじでかいてください.

Rōmaji de kaite kudasai.

Please write in romaji.

こまかいおかね

komakai okane

細こまかいお金かね

small change

Example

こまかいおかねがありますか.

Komakai okane ga arimasu ka?

Do you have small change?

チケット

chiketto

ticket

Example

えいがのチケットをかいました.

Eiga no chiketto o kaimashita.

I bought movie tickets.

じかん

jikan

時間じかん

time

Example

じかんがありません.

Jikan ga arimasen.

I don

ようじ

yōji

用事ようじ

something to do, errand

Example

ようじがあります.

Yōji ga arimasu.

I have something to do.

やくそく

yakusoku

約束やくそく

promise

Example

ともだちとやくそくがあります.

Tomodachi to yakusoku ga arimasu.

I have a promise with a friend.

ごじゅじん

gojujin

ご主人じゅじん

someone else

Example

たなかさんのごじゅじんです.

Tanaka-san no gojujin desu.

He is Tanaka-san

おっと

otto

夫おっと

my husband

Example

これがおっとです.

Kore ga otto desu.

This is my husband.

じゅじん

jujin

主人じゅじん

my husband

Example

じゅじんはかいしゃいんです.

Jujin wa kaishain desu.

My husband is a company employee.

おくさん

okusan

奥おくさん

someone else

Example

やまださんのおくさんです.

Yamada-san no okusan desu.

She is Yamada-san

つま

tsuma

妻つま

my wife

Example

これがつまです.

Kore ga tsuma desu.

This is my wife.

かない

kanai

家内かない

my wife

Example

かないはきょうしです.

Kanai wa kyōshi desu.

My wife is a teacher.

こども

kodomo

子供こども

child

Example

こどもがふたりいます.

Kodomo ga futari imasu.

I have two children.

よく

yoku

well, much

Example

よくえいがをみます.

Yoku eiga o mimasu.

I often watch movies.

だいたい

daitai

mostly, roughly

Example

だいたいわかりました.

Daitai wakarimashita.

I mostly understand.

たくさん

takusan

many, much

Example

たくさんべんきょうしました.

Takusan benkyō shimashita.

I studied a lot.

すこし

sukoshi

少すこし

a little, a few

Example

すこし日本にっぽん語ごがはなせます.

Sukoshi nihongo ga hanasemasu.

I can speak a little Japanese.

ぜんぜん

zenzen

全然ぜんぜん

not at all (used with negatives)

Example

スポーツがぜんぜんできません.

Supōtsu ga zenzen dekimasen.

I can

はやく

hayaku

早はやく

early, quickly, fast

Example

はやくきてください.

Hayaku kite kudasai.

Please come quickly.

__ から

kara

because __

Example

つかれたから、やすみます.

Tsukareta kara, yasumimasu.

Because I

どうして

dōshite

why

Example

どうしておんせんにいきたいんですか.

Doushite onsen ni ikitai n desu ka.

Why do you want to go to a hot spring?

ざんねんです

zannen desu

残念ざんねんです

Example

それはざんねんです.

Sore wa zannen desu.

That

すみません

sumimasen

Example

おくれて、すみません.

Okurete, sumimasen.

Conversation

ざんねんです[ね]

zannen desu [ne]

That

Example Usage

しあいにまけてざんねんですね.

Shiai ni makete zannen desu ne.

That

すみません

sumimasen

Excuse me / I

Example Usage

おくれてすみません.

Okurete sumimasen.

もしもし

moshi moshi

Hello? (on the phone)

Example Usage

もしもし、たなかです.

Moshi moshi, Tanaka desu.

Hello, this is Tanaka.

ああ

Ah / Oh / I see

Example Usage

ああ、わかりました.

Aa, wakarimashita.

Oh, I understand.

いっしょにいかがですか

isshoni ikaga desu ka

How about going together? / Would you like to join me?

Example Usage

えいがにいっしょにいかがですか.

Eiga ni isshoni ikaga desu ka.

How about going to the movies together?

__ はちょっと…………………

__ wa chotto __ __

[Something] is a little___ (hesitation/refusal)

Example Usage

そのよていはちょっと…….

Sono yotei wa chotto __ __

That schedule is a little___ (difficult/not possible).

だめですか

dame desu ka

Is it no good? / Is it not possible?

Example Usage

あしたはだめですか.

Ashita wa dame desu ka.

Is tomorrow no good?

こんどわずまたこんどお願いします

mata kondo onegaishimasu

Maybe next time / Please ask me again next time

Example Usage

またこんどお願ねがいします.

Mata kondo onegaishimasu.

Maybe next time, please.

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Expressing likes and dislikes

Structure: [Topic] は [Object] が好きです / 嫌いです

Use 好きです (like) and 嫌いです (dislike) to express feelings toward a person, thing, or activity. The object of your feeling is marked by the particle が, not を. Both 好き and 嫌い are grammatically な-adjectives, so they follow the same conjugation rules (past: 好きでした, negative: 好きじゃありません).

How to use: First, state the topic (what you are talking about) using は. Then, state the object you like/dislike followed by the particle が. Finally, add 好きです or 嫌いです. Example: わたしはねこがすきです (I like cats). To ask a question, replace です with ですか: あなたはサッカーが好きですか？ (Do you like soccer?).

💡 Pro Tip: Many learners mistakenly use を with 好き/嫌い (❌ 音楽を好きです). Always use が. Also, 嫌い is stronger than

Examples

私わたしは音楽おんがくが好すきです.

Watashi wa ongaku ga suki desu.

→ I like music.

彼かれは野菜やさいが嫌きらいです.

Kare wa yasai ga kirai desu.

→ He dislikes vegetables.

Rule 2: Talking about skills

Structure: [Topic] は [Activity] が上手です / 下手です

Use 上手です (good at) and 下手です (poor at) to evaluate someone

How to use: State the topic (person being evaluated) with は, then the activity followed by が, then add 上手です or 下手です. Example: かれはえいごがじょうずです (He is good at English). To make negative: 上手じゃありません (not good at) or 下手じゃありません (not bad at). For past: 上手でした (was good at).

💡 Pro Tip: Using 下手 directly to someone

Examples

彼かれはスポーツが上手じょうずです.

Kare wa supōtsu ga jōzu desu.

→ He is good at sports.

私わたしは料理りょうりが下手へたです.

Watashi wa ryōri ga heta desu.

→ I

Rule 3: Giving reasons with から

Structure: [Reason sentence] + から、[Result sentence]

Add から to the end of a sentence to express a reason or cause, similar to

How to use: Simply take a plain or polite sentence and add から at the end of the reason clause. Then state the result. For nouns and な-adjectives in the reason clause, use だ before から in plain form (e.g., 学生だから). Example: あめがふっているから、うちにいます (Because it

💡 Pro Tip: Don

Examples

時間じかんがないから、行いきません.

Jikan ga nai kara, ikimasen.

→ Because I don

今日きょうは暑あついから、プールに行いきましょう.

Kyō wa atsui kara, pūru ni ikimashō.

→ Since it

Rule 4: Activity verbs

Structure: [Noun (activity)] + を + します

Use the verb します (do) with activity nouns to mean

How to use: Take a noun that represents an activity (e.g., やきゅう = baseball, べんきょう = study, かいもの = shopping), add the particle を, then add します (polite) or する (plain). Example: テニスをします (play tennis). For past: しました (did). For negative: しません (don

💡 Pro Tip: Many activity nouns can drop を and become compound verbs with する attached directly (e.g., 勉強する, 買い物する). This is very common in casual Japanese. Some nouns never take を with する (e.g., 散歩する = take a walk). Also, be careful: スポーツをします means

Examples

週末しゅうまつに野球やきゅうをします.

Shūmatsu ni yakyū o shimasu.

→ I play baseball on weekends.

毎朝まいあさ、ジョギングをします.

Maiasa, jogingu o shimasu.

→ I do jogging every morning.

Lesson 9: Likes, Dislikes and Abilities

Learn how to express preferences, abilities and daily activities in Japanese

Key topics:

Vocabulary

Conversation

Kanji

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Expressing likes and dislikes

Rule 2: Talking about skills

Rule 3: Giving reasons with から

Rule 4: Activity verbs

Exercises

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17

Question 18

Question 19

Question 20