Introduction
Learning how to say I like in Portuguese is one of the first steps for beginners. Brazilian Portuguese uses a different word order and verbs than English. This article explains clear, practical ways to express likes and preferences without forcing English word order, with useful vocabulary, sample sentences, common mistakes, and tips for real conversations.
- Why word order matters in Portuguese
- Core verb: gostar
- When to use gostar vs other expressions
- Common sentence patterns for beginners
- Common mistakes Spanish or English learners make
- Practical vocabulary related to likes
- Useful conversational situations
- Polite and emphatic forms
- Short dialogues for practice
- Practice exercises for beginners
- Quick reference cheat-sheet
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Resources for continued practice
- Conclusion
Why word order matters in Portuguese
English speakers often translate I like directly as Eu gosto de, keeping English sentence structure in mind. While Eu gosto de is correct, Portuguese has patterns and alternatives that follow its own natural word order. Using those patterns makes your speech sound more fluent and idiomatic.
In Portuguese the verb phrase often comes before the object, and prepositions like de are required in many cases. Literal English word order or skipping prepositions leads to mistakes that Brazilians notice. We will show correct forms and common beginner errors.
Core verb: gostar
Vocabulary
gostar de — to like
eu gosto — I like
eu não gosto — I do not like
gosto muito — I like a lot
gosto de mais — I like too much / too much (colloquial)
How gostar de works
Use gostar with the preposition de plus the thing or activity you like. The structure is Verb + de + noun or verb in infinitive. This differs from English where I like + noun directly.
Example sentences
Eu gosto de música.
Explanation in English: I like music. Note the de before música.
Eu gosto de viajar.
Explanation in English: I like to travel. Use viajar in the infinitive after de.
Eu não gosto de café.
Explanation in English: I do not like coffee. Insert não before gosto to negate.
Beginner tip: contraction with definite articles
When you specify a noun with an article, Portuguese contracts de + o = do and de + a = da. Beginners often forget these contractions.
Eu gosto do filme.
Explanation: I like the movie.
Ela gosta da comida.
Explanation: She likes the food.
When to use gostar vs other expressions
Although gostar de is the standard verb for liking things, Brazilian Portuguese offers shorter or more colloquial alternatives that are common in daily speech.
Vocabulary and phrases
curtir — to enjoy, to like (colloquial)
adorar — to love, to really like
achar bom / achar legal — to find good / to think something is cool
Examples with curtir and adorar
Eu curto samba.
Explanation: I enjoy samba. Curtir is very common among younger speakers and in informal contexts.
Eu adoro essa música.
Explanation: I love this song. Adorar expresses a stronger liking than gostar.
No passado: Eu curti a festa.
Explanation: I enjoyed the party. Note how curtir conjugates like a regular verb in the past.
Common sentence patterns for beginners
Below are practical, beginner-friendly sentence patterns. Use them in everyday contexts like ordering food, talking about hobbies, and texting friends.
Pattern 1: Eu gosto de + noun
Examples:
Eu gosto de sorvete.
Explanation: I like ice cream.
Eu gosto de futebol.
Explanation: I like soccer.
Pattern 2: Eu gosto de + infinitive verb
Examples:
Eu gosto de cozinhar.
Explanation: I like cooking.
Eu gosto de correr no parque.
Explanation: I like running in the park.
Pattern 3: Eu não gosto de + noun/infinitive
Examples:
Eu não gosto de chuva.
Explanation: I do not like rain.
Eu não gosto de estudar tarde.
Explanation: I do not like studying late.
Pattern 4: Subject pronoun often dropped in casual speech
Examples:
Gosto de música, e você?
Explanation: I like music, and you? In informal speech, Eu is often omitted.
Não gosto de peixe.
Explanation: I don’t like fish. You can drop Eu unless you need emphasis.
Common mistakes Spanish or English learners make
Mistake 1: Omitting de after gostar
Incorrect: Eu gosto música.
Correct: Eu gosto de música.
Explanation: The preposition de is required between gostar and a noun or verb infinitive.
Mistake 2: Using English word order with indirect object pronouns
Incorrect: Me gosto de isso.
Correct: Eu gosto disso or Eu gosto de isso (but best: Eu gosto disso is common).
Explanation: Use Eu gosto and the demonstrative disso—do not use me like Spanish me gusta.
Mistake 3: Direct translation of I like to Spanish structure
Incorrect: Me gusta bailar (in Portuguese). People sometimes say Me gosto de dançar influenced by Spanish.
Correct: Eu gosto de dançar.
Practical vocabulary related to likes
gosto — taste; liking
preferir — to prefer
preferido / preferida — favorite
gostar mais — to like more / prefer
exemplo — example
Example phrases with preferir and favorito
Eu prefiro chá a café.
Explanation: I prefer tea to coffee. Note the direct verb preferir without de when followed by a noun, and the use of a to compare.
Meu filme favorito é Cidade de Deus.
Explanation: My favorite movie is City of God. favorite uses favorito/ preferida to match gender.
Useful conversational situations
Situation: At a café
Você gosta de café?
Explanation: Do you like coffee? A typical question a barista or friend might ask.
Eu gosto, mas prefiro chá.
Explanation: I like it, but I prefer tea. Practical reply in a casual setting.
Situation: Talking about music
Que tipo de música você gosta?
Explanation: What kind of music do you like? This is a common conversational opener when meeting people.
Eu gosto de MPB e samba.
Explanation: I like Brazilian Popular Music and samba.
Situation: Making plans
Você gosta de caminhar no parque amanhã?
Explanation: Do you like to walk in the park tomorrow? Use gosto de + infinitive when suggesting activities.
Polite and emphatic forms
To make phrases more polite or emphatic, use modal verbs or adverbs.
Eu realmente gosto disso.
Explanation: I really like that. Adverbs like realmente add emphasis.
Eu gostaria de experimentar.
Explanation: I would like to try. Note gostar would become gostaria to express would like, which is more polite and conditional.
Short dialogues for practice
Dialogue 1: At a restaurant
– Garçom: Você gosta de comida apimentada?
– Cliente: Eu gosto, mas não muito.
Explanation: The waiter asks if you like spicy food; the customer replies I like it, but not too much.
Dialogue 2: Making friends
– Amigo: Você gosta de futebol?
– Você: Sim, eu gosto muito.
Explanation: Friend asks Do you like soccer? You answer Yes, I like it a lot.
Practice exercises for beginners
Exercise 1: Fill the blank with gosto de or não gosto de
Eu ____ chocolate.
Answer: Eu gosto de chocolate or Eu não gosto de chocolate depending on your preference. Try both.
Exercise 2: Translate to Portuguese (use Brazilian Portuguese)
I like to dance.
Answer: Eu gosto de dançar.
I don’t like Mondays.
Answer: Eu não gosto de segunda-feira.
Pronunciation tips
gosto — /GOS-too/ (stress on the first syllable). The o in the first syllable sounds like the o in got. The final o is often pronounced as a reduced vowel in casual speech.
gostar — /gos-TAR/ (stress on the second syllable). Remember the r at the end is soft in many Brazilian accents, like an h sound in Rio de Janeiro or a light tap in other regions.
Quick reference cheat-sheet
Eu gosto de + noun — I like X.
Eu gosto de + infinitive — I like to do X.
Eu não gosto de + noun/infinitive — I do not like X.
Curto/Eu curto + noun/infinitive — I enjoy X (informal).
Eu adoro + noun/infinitive — I love X.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not translate Spanish me gusta directly. Use Eu gosto de, not Me gosto de.
Do not drop de after gostar when it links to a noun or infinitive.
Do not confuse preferir with gostar; preferir is used for comparisons or to say prefer and may require a different structure.
Resources for continued practice
Practice by writing short sentences about your day using gosto de and curtir. Read Brazilian menus and identify foods you like. Listen to simple Brazilian songs and note phrases with gosto, curtir, or adorar. Use language apps or beginner podcasts that focus on conversational Brazilian Portuguese.
Conclusion
Mastering how to say I like in Brazilian Portuguese starts with Eu gosto de plus the correct noun or infinitive. Learn contractions like do and da, use curtir and adorar in casual speech, and avoid translating directly from English or Spanish. With short practice sentences, real-life dialogues, and the sample phrases here, beginners can speak about preferences naturally and confidently.
