immersionlog
Sign inCreate account

〜が上手・下手

good at, bad at

Thing + が + 上手 / 下手 + です

Sign up free to review this point on a spaced schedule.

上手 (good at) and 下手 (bad at) work exactly like 好き: they're な-adjectives, and the skill takes が. 田中さんは料理が上手です, "Mr Tanaka is good at cooking".

上手 is praise, so it's for other people. Calling your own skill 上手 sounds like boasting. About yourself, say 得意 (a strong point) or play it down: まだ下手です, "I'm still bad at it".

That's why 日本語が上手ですね is the compliment every learner hears, and まだまだです ("not at all, still far to go") is the modest reply.

Before a verb, they take に: 上手に話す, "speak well".

Examples

  • 田中たなかさんは料理りょうりが上手じょうずです。

    Mr Tanaka is good at cooking.

  • 私わたしは歌うたが下手へたです。

    I'm bad at singing.

  • 妹いもうとさんは絵えが上手じょうずですね。

    Your sister is really good at drawing.

  • 日本語にほんごが上手じょうずですね。

    Your Japanese is very good.

  • 私わたしはまだ日本語にほんごが下手へたです。

    My Japanese is still bad.

Related