のが上手
🃏 Flashcard
のが上手
no ga jouzu
Tap to reveal usage
to be good at
N5
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N5
Beginner · Basic sentence structures
Reading
no ga jouzu
Post ID
50655
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to be good at
📖 How to use it
Says someone is good at doing something, using the nominalizer の plus 上手.
Attaches to
Attach のが上手 to the plain non-past (dictionary) form of a verb. For verbs in past or negative, use the plain past or plain negative form before のが上手.
This pattern expresses skill or talent at an activity. The particle の turns a verb into a noun phrase meaning 'doing ~', and 上手 (じょうず) is a な-adjective meaning 'good at'. So のが上手 literally means 'doing ~ is good' but translates as 'is good at ~'.
私は料理をするのが上手です。
Watashi wa ryōri o suru no ga jōzu desu.
I am good at cooking.
彼は歌を歌うのが上手です。
Kare wa uta o utau no ga jōzu desu.
He is good at singing.
妹は絵をかくのが上手です。
Imōto wa e o kaku no ga jōzu desu.
My younger sister is good at drawing pictures.
Not のが下手 (no ga heta)
上手 means good at, 下手 means bad at. They use the same grammar, but opposite meaning.
Register
Neutral and common in both speaking and writing, appropriate for all levels of politeness.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
のが上手
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat のが上手 three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using のが上手. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N5 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern のが上手 mean?
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To be good at
What JLPT level is のが上手?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use のが上手 in a sentence?
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Attach のが上手 (no ga jouzu) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is のが上手 formal or casual Japanese?
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のが上手 is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember のが上手 long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.