I like and I dont like in Japanese

Ogenki desuka? 　おげんき　です　か？

Kyou wa "like and don't/doesn't like" nituite desu. きょうは　"like and don't/doesn't like"　について　です。
(Today I talk about "like and don't/doesn't like")

kore wa suki desu ka ?　これはすきですか？ (Do you like this?)
Hai (watashi wa ) sukidesu.はい　すきです。 (Yes I like this. )
Iie (watashi wa ) amari suki dewa arimasen/ amari suki jyanai kana~./a（n）mari...　いいえ、あまりすきではありません。/あまりすきじゃないかなぁ〜。あ（ん）まり...。
(No I dont like this so much.)


I think Japanese people avoid saying "I dont like".It feels very direct.
So they say "I dont like so much." :) "A(n)mari..."means they dont want to say "dont like" even if they dont like. A(n)mari...,this "...." including I dont like. :)

They like vague/noncommittal words.

So Ive been in SF and when American people asked me "Do you like this?", I answered "I dont know...maybe I dont like it so much." And people think "??".
This means I wanted to tell them that its a little bit difficult for me to choose "like" or "dont like". :)

Anyway I think Japanese people like "vague/noncommittal" word and phrases.

I think people think about other people's feelings a lot. So if you say I dont like,maybe sometimes the other person feels bad- Japanese people think like that.
So many people avoid negation/denial phrases.

Im getting used to saying my feelings directly in US. But I still think about other peoples feelings first and next are my feelings. And Im still using a lot of vague/noncommittal phrases. :) Because Im Japanese. :)

See you for the next article or podcast!!

Have a wonderful day.
Love you.

Tomoe