How to Say You’re Good or Bad at Something in Japanese | Using Jouzu（上手）and Heta（下手）

level1 (N5)

Video

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How to Say You’re Good or Bad at Something in Japanese | Using Jouzu（上手）and Heta（下手）
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel

Introduction

Want to say “I’m good at cooking” or “I’m bad at drawing” in Japanese?

In this article, we’ll learn how to talk about skills and abilities using two key words:

  • 上手（じょうず）= good at
  • 下手（へた）= bad at

These are both な-adjectives, and they follow specific grammar patterns. Let’s learn how to express what you’re good (or not so good) at — in natural Japanese!

1. Basic Pattern: Noun が 上手です / 下手です

To say you are good or bad at something, use this sentence structure:

[Skill/Activity] が 上手（じょうず）です
= I’m good at [skill/activity]
[Skill/Activity] が 下手（へた）です
= I’m bad at [skill/activity]

Examples

JapaneseEnglish
スティーブさんは 中国語ちゅうごくごが 上手です。Steve is good at Chinese.
私わたしは テニスが 下手です。I’m bad at tennis.
弟おとうとは 絵えが 下手です。My younger brother is bad at drawing.
さきさんは ピアノが 上手です。Saki is good at piano.

2. Grammar Notes

Use が (not を)

The skill or subject is marked with が — not を.

✅ ギターが上手です。
❌ ギターを上手です。

な-Adjective Rules Apply

Just like other な-adjectives, 上手 and 下手 need な when modifying a noun.

  • Xが上手な人ひと = a person who is good at X
  • Xが下手な人 = a person who is bad at X

Examples

JapaneseEnglish
ダンスが上手な人a person who is good a dancing
料理りょうりが下手な人a person who is bad at cooking

3. Similar Expressions: 得意（とくい）・苦手（にがて）

There are also two other useful words:

  • 得意（とくい）= good at, confident in
  • 苦手（にがて）= bad at, uncomfortable with

These express not only skill level, but also how you feel about the activity.

得意な suggests that you not only have skills in something but also enjoy it and have confidence in it, while 苦手な suggests you are unskilled in something, and also lack confidence and are unwilling to do it.

In everyday Japanese, 苦手 can also be used when you don’t like something, especially foods or school subjects. For example, ピーマンがきらいです and ピーマンが苦手です can both mean “I don’t like green peppers,” but 苦手 sounds a little softer and less direct than きらい.

JapaneseEnglish nuance
得意ですI’m skilled at it and I like doing it.
苦手ですI’m not good at it and I prefer to avoid it.

Examples

  • 英語えいごが苦手にがてです。= I’m not confident in English.
  • 得意とくいなスポーツは何なんですか。 = What sport are you good at?
  • 娘むすめはピーマンが苦手にがてです。= My daughter doesn’t like bell peppers.

4. Practice Sentences

Try making your own sentences using 上手 / 下手:

EnglishJapanese
Mari is good at playing the piano.まりさんは ピアノが 上手です。
I’m not good at singing.私わたしは 歌うたが 下手です。
My mother is good at dancing.母ははは ダンスが 上手です。
My brother is bad at English.兄あには 英語えいごが 下手です。
Mr. Lewis is good at games.ルイスさんは ゲームが 上手です。

Now try saying:

  • What are you good at?
  • What are you bad at?

5. Q&A Practice

Try answering these questions:

QuestionExample Answer
ピアノが上手ですか。
Are you good at playing the piano?		はい、上手です。
Yes, I am.
歌うたが上手ですか。
Are you good at singing?		いいえ、上手じゃないです。
No, I’m not.
日本語にほんごが得意とくいですか。
Are you good at Japanese?		うーん、あまり得意じゃないです。
Hmm, not really.
何なにが得意とくいですか。
What are you good at?		スポーツが得意です。
I’m good at sports.

6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Q
What’s the difference between 上手 and 得意?
A

Both mean “good at,” but 上手 focuses on objective skill, while 得意 also implies personal confidence and enjoyment.

Q
Can I use 上手 to talk about myself?
A

Yes, but be careful — it may sound boastful in some situations. Native speakers often use 得意 or more humble phrases when talking about their own skills.

Q
Is it okay to say 下手 for someone else?
A

Be polite! Using 下手 about others can sound rude. It’s better to use a soft expression like “あまり得意じゃないです.”

Q
How can I say “I’m not very good at _”?
A

Use: あまり上手じゃないです。or あまり得意じゃないです。

Conclusion

Now you can talk about your skills in Japanese with confidence!

✅ Use 上手（じょうず） and 下手（へた） for objective ability
✅ Use 得意（とくい） and 苦手（にがて） to express personal comfort
✅ Mark the skill with が and follow な-adjective rules
✅ Watch your tone when talking about yourself or others

🎯 Try writing 3 sentences:
→ One thing you’re good at
→ One thing you’re bad at
→ One thing you want to improve!

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    Japanese native and language educator with about 10 years of experience teaching and developing courses and materials.
    She studied and taught in 5 different countries. Her most recent teaching role was at University of Pennsylvania in the U.S.
    Other than teaching all levels of Japanese in various settings from personal tutoring to college courses, she also has experience writing articles about Japanese language and culture and teaching English.
    Education: M.A. in Japanese pedagogy, Purdue University. B.A from the school of Japanese language and culture, Tsukuba University.