Liking it your way
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 23 of 68What do you think
Say you like something in a low-key way and say what you like about it.
- warukunainot bad; pretty good
- kirai ja naiI don't mind it; I kind of like it
- ... tokoro ga sukiI like how ...; what I like is ...
- watashi wa suki da kedowell, I like it (even if others don't)
Mix-ups warukunai and kirai ja nai sound negative but mean you like it.
warukunai
polite warukunai desu ne
not bad; pretty good
Mild praise that often means 'actually quite good'; tone decides how warm it is.
Also 'it's not your fault': kimi wa warukunai yo.
kono mise, warukunai ne. mata koyou.
This place isn't bad. Let's come again.
この店、悪くないね。また来よう。
kono mise, warukunai desu ne.
This place isn't bad.
この店、悪くないですね。
Written 悪くない · わるくない · 悪くないですねWho you say it and hear itHeard 835× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
kirai ja nai
polite kirai ja nai desu
I don't mind it; I kind of like it
A shy or understated way to say you like something; it usually means more than it says.
Said about a person it can be a coy confession of liking them.
kou iu ongaku, kirai ja nai yo.
I kind of like this kind of music.
こういう音楽、嫌いじゃないよ。
kou iu ongaku, kirai ja nai desu.
I kind of like this kind of music.
こういう音楽、嫌いじゃないです。
Written 嫌いじゃない · きらいじゃない · 嫌いじゃないですWho you say it and hear itHeard 49× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
... tokoro ga suki
polite ... tokoro ga suki desu
I like how ...; what I like is ...
Names the specific thing you like about a person, place or work.
Tokoro here means 'side, aspect', not 'place'; it also works for dislikes: ... tokoro ga iya.
kare no yasashii tokoro ga suki.
I love how kind he is.
彼の優しいところが好き。
kono machi no shizuka na tokoro ga suki desu.
What I like about this town is how quiet it is.
この町の静かなところが好きです。
Written 〜ところが好き · 〜ところがすき · 〜ところが好きですWho you say itHeard 18× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
watashi wa suki da kedo
polite watashi wa suki desu kedo
well, I like it (even if others don't)
Defends your taste after someone criticises something, without starting an argument.
Wa sets you against the others; the trailing kedo leaves the rest unsaid.
e, sonna ni dame? watashi wa suki da kedo.
Huh, is it that bad? I like it, though.
え、そんなにダメ？私は好きだけど。
sou desu ka? watashi wa suki desu kedo.
Really? I like it, though.
そうですか？私は好きですけど。
Written 私は好きだけど · わたしはすきだけど · 私は好きですけどWho you say itHeard too rare in film subtitles to count