Japanese for Beginners: Sharing Food Likes and Dislikes When Dining Out
Learn to say what foods you love, can't live without, or don't like in Japanese, and use those preferences naturally when eating out with friends.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you eat out in Japan, you often need to tell people what you like and dislike, not just order a dish. This lesson teaches beginner-friendly patterns for sharing food preferences: what you love, what you can't live without, and what you are not a fan of. You will also learn how to use these phrases in a casual restaurant conversation. The focus is on preferences, not on transactional ordering. You will practice with natural Japanese script and Hepburn romanization.
By the end, you can…
- say what food I love or can't live without.
- say what food I am not a fan of.
- ask someone about their food preferences.
- respond naturally when a friend suggests a restaurant or dish.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
パスタが大好きです。
I love pasta.
Pasuta ga daisuki desu.
Use daisuki for strong liking. It is polite and safe with friends, coworkers, or people you just met.
パスタなしでは生きられません。
I can't live without pasta.
Pasuta nashi de wa ikiraremasen.
A dramatic but common way to say you can't live without something. Use it for emphasis, often humorously.
辛い食べ物はあまり好きじゃないです。
I'm not a fan of spicy food.
Karai tabemono wa amari suki ja nai desu.
Amari with a negative means 'not very.' Suki ja nai is casual but polite enough for most situations.
何が好きですか。
What do you like?
Nani ga suki desu ka.
A simple question to ask about someone's food preferences. Add tabemono no naka de for 'among foods' if needed.
私は寿司が好きです。
I like sushi.
Watashi wa sushi ga suki desu.
Suki desu means 'I like it.' Use ga before suki, not o. Watashi wa is optional when the topic is clear.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use [food] ga suki desu to say you like a food. For a stronger feeling, use daisuki desu: パスタが大好きです (Pasuta ga daisuki desu). To say you do not like something, use suki ja nai desu: 辛い食べ物は好きじゃないです (Karai tabemono wa suki ja nai desu). Add amari before the negative to soften it: あまり好きじゃないです (amari suki ja nai desu). The particle ga marks the food you like or dislike.
When to use it
Use these patterns when talking with friends at a restaurant, deciding where to eat, or explaining your tastes. For example, if a friend suggests a spicy curry place, you can say 辛い食べ物はあまり好きじゃないです (Karai tabemono wa amari suki ja nai desu). If you love a dish, say これが大好きです (Kore ga daisuki desu). In more formal settings, use suki de wa arimasen instead of suki ja nai desu. With close friends, suki ja nai is fine.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
今日は何を食べたいですか。
What do you want to eat today?Kyō wa nani o tabetai desu ka.私はパスタが大好きです。パスタなしでは生きられません。
I love pasta. I can't live without pasta.Watashi wa pasuta ga daisuki desu. Pasuta nashi de wa ikiraremasen.いいですね。でも、辛い食べ物はどうですか。
That sounds good. But how about spicy food?Ii desu ne. Demo, karai tabemono wa dō desu ka.辛い食べ物はあまり好きじゃないです。
I'm not a fan of spicy food.Karai tabemono wa amari suki ja nai desu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, expressing dislike directly can sound blunt, so amari suki ja nai desu softens it. Saying daisuki is warm and common among friends. When eating out, people often share preferences before choosing a restaurant, and it is polite to ask others what they like too. Avoid saying kirai desu (I hate it) about someone's recommended dish unless you are very close.
One thing to watch for
Using o with suki, as in パスタをお好きです (Pasuta o osuki desu).
Try this instead: Use ga with suki: パスタが好きです (Pasuta ga suki desu). The particle o marks a direct object, but suki describes a preference, so ga is correct. Also, do not add o to suki in this pattern.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I love sushi' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
寿司が大好きです。 (Sushi ga daisuki desu.)
Sushi is the food, ga marks the preference, and daisuki desu means 'love.' You can also say 寿司が好きです (Sushi ga suki desu) for a milder 'I like sushi.'
2How do you say 'I'm not a fan of spicy food' politely?
Show a sample answer
辛い食べ物はあまり好きじゃないです。 (Karai tabemono wa amari suki ja nai desu.)
Amari plus a negative means 'not very.' This is softer than saying kirai desu. In formal speech, use 好きではありません (suki de wa arimasen).
3What question can you ask a friend about their food preferences?
Show a sample answer
何が好きですか。 (Nani ga suki desu ka.)
This asks 'What do you like?' You can make it more specific with 食べ物の中で何が好きですか (Tabemono no naka de nani ga suki desu ka), meaning 'Among foods, what do you like?'
Use [food] ga suki desu for likes, daisuki for strong love, and amari suki ja nai desu to soften dislikes when eating out in Japan.
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