Please view previous lessons for additional vocabulary and grammar.

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!

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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

Also, be sure to check out our other language videos and be sure to subscribe if you enjoy!

1. Introduction to Japanese
2. Counting Numbers 1 - 100
3. Days of the Week and Days of the Month
4. Going to a Destination
5. 4 Verbs (Nomimasu, Tabemasu, Mimasu, Kikimasu)
6. To do (verb)
7. To Give & To Receive
8. Family Members
9. Telling Time
10. Particles
11. Interrogatives and Counters
12. Interrogatives
13. Locations
14. To like, To understand, To be good at
15. Adjectives
16. Invitations
17. Te-form conjugation
18. Te-form: Sentence Connection
19. Te-form: Te Kudasai
20. Te-form: Te mo ii desu ka
21. Te-Imasu
22. Nai-Form
23. Nai-de Kudasai
24. Nakereba Narimasen

Learn basic Japanese in 24 short lessons from the Japan Society in New York City.

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