Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 4: 11/13

のが好(す)きLike doing, Love doing

Structure

Verb［る］+ の + が + 好(す)き + だ

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Expression

  • Word Type

    Adjectival Noun

  • Register

    Standard

About のがすき

～のが好(す)き is a common construction that is used in Japanese to express that you like/love doing something. This particular expression is used with the plain (dictionary) form of verbs only.

In these examples, we can see that there is no difference between Ichidan verbs and Godan verbs. Both will be used in their plain forms. In this expression, のが is performing the same function as in the regular のは or のが construction. This function is nominalization (turning a phrase into a noun). However, のは may not be used with this phrase, as が will always appear with adjectives.

Caution

If you want to express that you liked doing something (in the past), the verb will still remain in the plain form, but 好(す)き will change to past tense.

  • 彼(かれ)は野球(やきゅう)をするのが好(す)きだった。
    He liked to play baseball.
  • 息子(むすこ)は漢字(かんじ)を書(か)くのが好(す)きでした。
    My son used to like to write kanji.

This construction can also be used to ask questions about what other people like. This is done through the addition of か.

Examples

--:--

    私(わたし)はサッカーをするのが好(す)き。

    I like playing soccer.

    私(わたし)は本(ほん)を読(よ)むのが好(す)き。

    I like reading books.

    私(わたし)はラーメンを食(た)べるのが好(す)きです。

    I like eating ramen.

    犬(いぬ)と遊(あそ)ぶのが好(す)き。

    I like playing with dogs.

    旅行(りょこう)に行(い)くのが好(す)きでしょう？

    You like going on trips, don't you?

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のがすき – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    Hey

    好き demands for the object of liking to be marked with が.
    So it is always Someoneはsomethingが好き。
    Same applies to 嫌い。

    THERE IS AN EXCEPTION THOUGH:
    は is also a particle that expresses contrast.
    So if you want to express contrast it is OK to use のは。

    Example:
    （私は）テレビを見るのは好き。でもラジオを聞くのは好きではないｌ

    I like watching TV. But I don’t like listening to the radio.

    There is contrast expressed.

  • GregX999

    GregX999

    How does this differ from ことが好き? This review question told me “Can you say it another way?” when I answered with ことがすき, (with no other hints) so are they interchangeable?

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    They are
    の is used more often with 好き and 嫌い though.

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