How to Say ‘I like (doing)...’ in Japanese
〜するのが好きです。
suru no ga suki desu
[soo-roo noh gah skee dess]
💬 Usage Tip: Template sentence. Put any [〜する] action in: [旅行するのが好きです]. Polite and easy to reuse.
🇯🇵 In Japan: On first dates, using reusable templates like this keeps your Japanese smooth and confident.
Phrase Breakdown
する
suru
[soo-roo]
to do
In the pattern 〜するのが好きです, it expresses liking an activity (doing ~).
料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking.
の
no
[noh]
nominalizer “the act of …”
Turns 〜する into a noun phrase: 〜するの = “doing ~.”
運動するのが好きです。
I like exercising.
が
ga
[gah]
subject marker
Marks the activity as what you like in the pattern のが好きです.
写真を撮るのが好きです。
I like taking photos.
好き
suki
[skee]
like; favorite
Expresses preference; very natural when talking about hobbies and interests.
料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking.
です
desu
[dess]
(polite copula) am/is/are
Polite ending; good for first-date conversation.
料理をするのが好きです。
I like cooking.
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