“〜ga suki / kirai / jouzu / nigate”: Likes & Abilities [JLPT N5]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「猫が好き」「英語が得意」 — likes and abilities take が, not を (they're な-adjectives).
Why is 「猫を好き」 wrong? Because 「好き」 isn't a verb
In English and Chinese “like” is a verb (like ＋ cats), so learners instinctively say 「✗ 猫を好き」. But Japanese 「好き」 is actually a na-adjective (= “likeable”), so the thing you like takes が: 猫が好き (cats are likeable-to-me). Same with 嫌い (dislike), 得意 (good at), 苦手 (bad at) — the object of liking and ability always takes が, never を.
Core rule: like/ability objects take が
好き・嫌い・得意・苦手 are all na-adjectives, and their object takes が:
If what you like is an action, nominalize the verb with の first, then add が: 泳ぐのが好き (like swimming; ✗ 泳ぐが好き).
How to Connect
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜が好き | like | 猫が好き |
| 〜が嫌い | dislike | 野菜が嫌い |
| 〜が得意 | good at | 英語が得意 |
| 〜が苦手 | bad at / uneasy | 数学が苦手 |
| verb ＋ のが | like doing (nominalized) | 泳ぐのが好き |
Examples in context
- 私はねこが好きです。(I like cats.) — 好き
- 私は英語が得意です。(I'm good at English.) — 得意
- 彼は数学が苦手だ。(He's bad at math.) — 苦手
- 私は泳ぐのが好きです。(I like swimming.) — nominalized verb
- 弟は野菜が大嫌いだ。(My little brother hates vegetables.) — 大嫌い (intensity)
⚠️ Where learners slip up
① The object takes が, not を. ✗ 猫を好き → ○ 猫が好き. Because 好き is an adjective, not a verb, there's no “object” for を to mark. This is the #1 error for learners from English and Chinese.
② A verb object must be nominalized with の. To like doing something, the verb can't take が directly: 泳ぐのが好き, 料理を作るのが得意.
③ 好き is a na-adjective — it conjugates like a noun. 好きだ／好きじゃない／好きだった (✗ 好きくない).
🔄 Compare with similar forms: が好き / を / のが好き / 苦手 vs 嫌い
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜が好き／得意 | like/ability object takes が | 猫が好き |
| verb ＋ を | only a verb's object takes を | ご飯を食べる （eats a meal） |
| verb ＋ のが好き | like doing (nominalized) | 泳ぐのが好き |
| 苦手 vs 嫌い | 苦手 = not good at; 嫌い = dislike | 運動が苦手／野菜が嫌い |
💡 The one thing to remember
One line keeps you right: in Japanese, “like” is an adjective, not a verb. So “like cats” isn't “like (verb) ＋ cats (object)” — it's “cats ＋ が ＋ 好き (adjective).” Once that clicks, 猫が好き, 英語が得意, 水がほしい, 日本語がわかる — the whole family of “が ＋ adjective-like predicate” falls into line. を is for the objects of real verbs (食べる, 見る).
❓ Questions you might have
Q: 苦手 vs 嫌い?
「苦手」 = not good at / can't handle well (ability or unease), gentle in tone; 「嫌い」 = emotionally dislike, more direct. For a polite refusal, 「〜は苦手で…」 is more tactful than 「嫌い」.
Q: What are 「大好き」「大嫌い」?
Intensified versions: 大好き = love / really like; 大嫌い = really hate. The object still takes が (あなたが大好き).
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「私は英語___得意です。」(I'm good at English) Which particle is correct?
(A) を (B) は (C) が (D) に
Q2. 「私はねこ___好きです。」(I like cats) Which particle is correct?
(A) を (B) は (C) が (D) で
Q3. Which sentence is correct?
(A) 猫を好きです。
(B) 猫が好きです。
(C) 猫に好きです。
(D) 猫で好きです。
Q4. 「私は泳ぐ___好きです。」(I like swimming — a verb) Which is correct?
(A) が (B) のが (C) を (D) こと
Q5. 「彼は数学___苦手だ。」(he's bad at math) Which particle is correct?
(A) を (B) に (C) が (D) で
Answer Key
1. (C) が ── the object of 好き/嫌い/得意/苦手 uses が: 英語が得意 (✗ 英語を得意).
2. (C) が ── a preference object uses が: ねこが好き (✗ ねこを好き).
3. (B) 猫が好きです ── a preference object uses が, not を/に/で.
4. (B) のが ── nominalize the verb with の first, then が: 泳ぐのが好き (✗ 泳ぐが好き).
5. (C) が ── the object of 苦手 (bad at) also uses が: 数学が苦手 (✗ 数学を苦手).