Japanese Language Lesson 14: To like, To understand, To be good at

In this lesson sensei goes over 3 important verbs and their different levels. Suki (to like), Wakarimasu (to understand) and Jouzu (to be good at). So please try them out whenever you have the opportunity!

Summary:

Jouzu / じょうず・上手 / to be good at
Suki / すき・好き / to like
Wakarimasu / わかります・分かります / to understand

Basic structure:

(Subject) wa (noun) ga (jouzu/suki/wakarimasu) (desu – with jouzu and suki) conjugate verbs for past/present/negative tense

たなかさんはスキーがじょうずです／Tanaka-san wa sukii ga jouzu desu
Mr. Tanaka is good at skiiing.

たなかさんはスキーがすきです／Tanaka-san wa sukii ga suki desu
Mr. Tanaka likes skiiing.

たなかさんはフランスごがわかります／Tanaka-san wa furansugo ga wakarimasu
Mr. Tanaka knows (understands) French.

Present/Negative/Past/Past Negative:

じょうずです／jouzu desu – (subject) is good at
じょうずではありません／jouzu dewa arimasen – (subject) is not good at
じょうずでした／jouzu deshita – (subject) was good at
じょうずではありませんでした／jouzu dewa arimasen deshita – (subject) was not good at

すきです／suki desu – (subject) likes
すきではありません／suki dewa arimasen – (subject) does not like
すきでした／suki deshita – (subject) liked
すきではありませんでした／suki dewa arimasen deshita – (subject) did not like

わかります／wakarimasu – (subject) understands
わかりません／wakarimasen – (subject) does not understand
わかりました／wakarimashita – (subject) understood
わかりませんでした／wakarimasen deshita – (subject) did not understand

Levels/Degrees:

あまり（じょうずではありません）／ amari (jouzu dewa arimasen) – not so good at
だいすき／daisuki – love
とても（すきです）／　totemo (suki desu) – likes very much
あまり（すきではありません）／ amari (suki dewa arimasen) – not like very much
きらい／kirai – hates (does not like, strongly)
すこし（わかります）／sukoshi (wakarimasu) – knows a little
あまり（わかりません）／does not know very much
ぜんぜん（わかりません）／does not know at all

kirai – hate
zenzen – not at all
amari – not very much
sukoshi – a little
totemo – very much
daisuki – love

Other:

わかいとき／wakai toki – when (subject) was young