のが上手 | Grammar

Structure

[verb (dictionary form)] + のが上手（です） [する verb (dictionary form)] + のが上手（です）

Pattern in context:

[person] は + [verb (dictionary form)] + のが上手（です）

Description

The pattern のが上手 is used to express that someone is good at doing something. The verb in its dictionary form is followed by の, which nominalizes the verb (turns it into a noun-like phrase), and then が marks it as the subject of じょうず上手 ("skilled / good at").

。

She is good at singing.

。

My father is good at cooking.

How it works

The particle の after a verb turns the action into a concept – "the act of doing ~." Then がじょうず上手 indicates skill at that action. The person who is skilled is marked with は.

Pattern: [Person] は [Verb dictionary form] のが上手（です）

上手 vs. 得意

When talking about other people's abilities, じょうず上手 is natural and serves as a compliment. However, when talking about your own abilities, using じょうず上手 can sound boastful. In that case, とくい得意（とくい）is preferred:

。

I am good at swimming.

Negative and past forms

Since じょうず上手 is a な-adjective, it conjugates accordingly:

Negative: 上手じゃない / 上手ではありません
わたくし私はえをえがく絵を描くのがじょうず上手じゃないです。
I am not good at drawing pictures.
Past: 上手だった / 上手でした
かれ彼はこども子供のとき時からぴあのピアノをひく弾くのがじょうず上手でした。
He was good at playing the piano since he was a child.

The opposite of じょうず上手 is へた下手（へた）, meaning "bad at":

。

My younger brother is bad at writing kanji.

Examples

。

She is good at singing.

たなか田中。

Mr. Tanaka is good at cooking, isn't he?

。

That child is good at drawing pictures.

。

My older sister is good at playing the piano.

。

He is good at speaking Japanese.

やまだ山田。

Ms. Yamada is good at listening to people.

、。

My friend is good at swimming, but I'm not.

。

Your mother is good at taking photos, isn't she?

でし。

She has been good at dancing since she was little.

。

The teacher is very good at explaining things.

きごう？

Who is the best at playing soccer?

。

Cats are good at hiding.

References

Good Bad Atimabi.org