Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasi ha sizukana seikatu ga suki desu.

は marks the topic (what we’re talking about), and が marks the specific thing that is liked with 好き. The pattern is: A は B が好きです = As for A, B is liked. Here: 私 is the topic (me), and 静かな生活 is the thing liked.

Why is it 静かな and not just 静か?

静か is a na-adjective. Before a noun it takes な: 静かな生活. When used as a predicate, it takes だ／です: 生活は静かです. As an adverb, it becomes 静かに: 静かに暮らす.

Why does 生活 take が instead of を?

Because 好き is an adjective, not a verb. The thing liked is marked with が: X が好き. You use を when there is a verb that takes a direct object. If you use the verb 好む (to like/prefer), then you can say X を好む.

Is 好き a verb meaning “to like”?

No. 好き is a na-adjective meaning “liked” or “pleasing.” Literally, 静かな生活が好きです is “A quiet life is liked.” Conjugation examples:

Plain: 好きだ
Polite: 好きです
Negative: 好きじゃない／好きではない
Polite negative: 好きじゃないです／好きではありません
Past: 好きだった／好きでした

Can I say 私は静かな生活が好きだ? Can I drop だ?

Plain style: 私は静かな生活が好きだ is correct.
Omitting だ at the end (…好き.) occurs in casual speech, but it’s safer to use 好きだ in plain style, especially in writing.

Can I omit 私?

Yes. Japanese often omits obvious subjects. 静かな生活が好きです will normally be understood as “I like a quiet life” from context.

What’s the difference between 生活, 人生, and 暮らし?

生活: daily life/lifestyle (routine, practical living).
人生: one’s entire life in the existential sense.
暮らし: one’s way of living/household life, a bit homier/softer than 生活. Example: 静かな暮らしが好きです feels a touch more homey; 静かな人生 sounds odd because 人生 is broader than day-to-day lifestyle.

Could I say 静かに生活するのが好きです instead?

Yes. That means “I like living quietly,” using a verb phrase nominalized with の. It emphasizes the action (living quietly) rather than labeling the life itself as quiet. Both are natural, with a slight nuance difference.

How do I make it negative or ask a question?

Negative: 静かな生活が好きじゃないです or more formal 好きではありません.
Question: 静かな生活が好きですか。
Negative question: 静かな生活が好きじゃないですか。

How do I say “I love a quiet life” or “I really like it”?

Strong like: 静かな生活が大好きです。
Intensifiers: とても／本当に／すごく静かな生活が好きです。

Does this mean a specific quiet life or “a quiet life” in general?

Japanese has no articles. By default it’s general. To make it specific, add a determiner: この静かな生活が好きです (I like this quiet life).

Can I make 静かな生活 the topic with は?

Yes: 静かな生活は好きです。 This shifts focus to “as for a quiet life” and can sound contrastive (e.g., “As for a quiet life, I like it [but…]”). You can even say 私は静かな生活は好きです, which highlights both topics; use it when contrasting with something else.

Why not 静かに生活? When do I use 静かに vs 静かな?

Use 静かな before a noun (静かな生活). Use 静かに to modify verbs/adjectives (静かに暮らす, 静かに話す). 静かに生活 is ungrammatical unless followed by a verb.

Can I use を with 好き in any way?

Not directly as X を好き. But you can use を with a verb phrase that you like:

静かな生活を送るのが好きです。 (I like leading a quiet life.) Also, if you use the verb 好む, then 静かな生活を好みます is grammatical and more formal.

How do I say “I prefer a quiet life”?

Use の方が: 静かな生活の方が好きです。 You can add what you’re comparing: 都会の生活より、静かな生活の方が好きです。

What level of politeness is 好きです? When do I use ます?

好きです is the standard polite form for adjectives/nouns. ます attaches to verbs, not adjectives. For plain style, use 好きだ; for very formal writing, 好きである may appear.

Why are there spaces between the words here?

They’re pedagogical. Standard Japanese writing doesn’t use spaces: 私は静かな生活が好きです。

Are there useful synonyms for 静かな here?

Yes, with slightly different nuances:

穏やかな生活: calm, gentle life
平穏な生活: peaceful, uneventful life
落ち着いた生活: settled, composed life

What’s the template I can reuse for other likes?

Use A は B が好きです. Examples:

私はコーヒーが好きです。
兄は旅行が好きです。