How to Say ‘I like cooking.’ in Japanese
料理をするのが好きです。
ryouri o suru no ga suki desu
[ryoh-ree oh soo-roo noh gah skee dess]
💬 Usage Tip: Uses the action-like pattern [〜のが好きです]. You can add [家で] to mean “at home”: [家で料理をするのが好きです].
🇯🇵 In Japan: This line is great for date talk because it can naturally lead to “What do you cook?” and favorite foods.
Phrase Breakdown
料理をする
ryouri o suru
to cook
Verb phrase: 「料理」 (cooking/food) + 「をする」 (to do) = “to cook.”
今日は料理をします。
I’ll cook today.
Words in this phrase
料理
ryouri
[ryoh-ree]
cooking; cuisine; dish (as a category)
料理（りょうり） means “cooking” or “food/dishes.” On dates, it’s common to talk about hobbies like cooking.
週末は料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking on weekends.
を
o
[oh]
(object marker)
を marks the direct object of an action (what you do). Here: “do cooking” = “cook.”
私は料理をします。
I cook.
する
suru
[soo-roo]
to do; to make; to perform
する means “to do.” With a noun like 料理, 料理をする means “to cook.”
時間がある日に料理をする。
I cook on days when I have time.
の
no
[noh]
(nominalizer) turning a phrase into “the act of…”
の can nominalize the verb phrase before it. 料理をするの = “the act of cooking / cooking (as an activity).”
料理をするのは楽しいです。
Cooking is fun.
が
ga
[gah]
(subject marker)
が marks the subject/focus. In 好き, the thing you like is often marked by が: Xが好きです = “I like X.”
料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking.
好き
suki
[skee]
liked; favorite; fond of
好き（すき） expresses liking. Pattern: Xが好きです = “I like X.” Useful for casual getting-to-know-you talk.
あなたは料理をするのが好きですか。
Do you like cooking?
です
desu
[dess]
to be (polite); is/are (copula)
です is a polite sentence ending. With adjectives/phrases it makes the statement polite: 好きです = “(I) like (it).”
料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking.
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