How do you say "I like reading." in Japanese?

"I like reading." in Japanese is "読書が好きです。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

What does "読書が好きです。" mean in English?

"読書が好きです。" means "I like reading." in English. Usage tip: Use [が] with [好き]: [〜が好きです]. You can upgrade politeness with [好きです] → [好きでございます] (very formal).

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How to Say ‘I like reading.’ in Japanese

読書が好きです。

dokusho ga suki desu

[doh-koo-shoh gah soo-kee dess]

💬 Usage Tip: Use [が] with [好き]: [〜が好きです]. You can upgrade politeness with [好きです] → [好きでございます] (very formal).

🇯🇵 In Japan: If asked about hobbies, one sentence + one example is ideal—don’t over-explain unless invited.

Phrase Breakdown

読書

dokusho

[doh-koo-shoh]

reading (books)

Hobby word. You can expand in interviews: 読書が好きで、特にビジネス書を読みます.

Example

自己紹介で読書が好きですと言いました。

In my self-introduction, I said, “I like reading.”

が

[gah]

subject marker

Marks what you like: 読書が好きです = "I like reading."

Example

読書が好きです。

I like reading.

好きです

suki desu

like; be fond of

A polite phrase using the adjective 好き: “(I) like ….” Pattern: X が好きです.

Example

音楽が好きです。

I like music.

Words in this phrase

好き

suki

[soo-kee]

like; fond of

Expresses preference. Polite and natural for interview self-introductions.

Example

読書が好きですので、集中力があります。

Because I like reading, I have good concentration.

です

desu

[dess]

to be (polite)

Polite ending used in formal speech.

Example

読書が好きです。

I like reading.

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