Japanese/Vocabulary/Phrases and Idioms

... が好きです

... ga suki desu

Expresses that a thing or person is liked. The subject, marked by が, is liked by the person marked with the topic marker は (if mentioned).

Examples

彼はリンゴとバナナが好きです

kare wa ringo to banana ga suki desu.

He likes apples and bananas.

英語を勉強するのがとても好きだよ！

eigo o benkyo suru no ga totemo suki da yo!

I really like studying English!

... なければならない

... nakereba naranai

The construction "(verb stem)なければならない", -nakereba naranai is used to express an obligation: something that has to be done.

(Literally, the -なければ -nakereba conjunction is the negative conditional form, "if not (this action)"; ならない naranai is "to not become", the plain negative of なる naru. The literal implication is that if the action is not done, nothing else can proceed.)

Examples

今日は銀行にいかなければならない。

kyô wa ginko ni ikanakereba naranai.

I have to go to the bank today.

おじいさんがすぐに帰らなければ、私はマクドナルドに行きます。

Ojii-san ga suguni kaeranakereba watashi wa makudonarudo ni ikimasu.

If Grandpa doesn't return soon, I'm going to McDonald's.

Since ならない naranai is the plain-form negative of the verb なる naru (to become), in a more formal or polite situation one would use the polite negative form なりません narimasen instead.

下手の横好き（へたのよこずき）

heta no yoko-zuki

An idiom meaning that you are "unskilled but enthusiastic" or "crazy about it, but not very good at it". Used about a hobby or skilled activity.

Example

山田： 田中さんは英語がお上手ですね。

Yamada：Tanaka-san wa eigo ga ojouzu desune.

Yamada: Mr Tanaka, you speak English well.

田中： いいえ、下手の横好きなんですよ。

Tanaka: iie, heta no yoko-zuki nandesuyo.

Tanaka: Oh no, I like it, but I'm not very good at it