How to say “My child likes this story” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning to express simple family observations in Brazilian Portuguese is a practical skill for travelers, parents, and language beginners. This article explains how to say and use the sentence Meu filho gosta desta história and related phrases, with vocabulary, examples, and beginner-friendly dialogues you can use in everyday situations.

Basic translation and literal meaning

The core sentence to learn is Meu filho gosta desta história.

Meu = my (possessive for first person singular)

filho = son or child (male)

gosta = likes (from the verb gostar)

desta = of this / from this (contraction of de + esta)

história = story

Literally, the sentence means my son likes this story. In Brazilian Portuguese word order and verb choice are natural for this idea.

Variations to match different contexts

Parents and caregivers will use different words depending on age, gender, and formality. Here are common variations.

Minha filha gosta desta história — my daughter likes this story.

Meu filho gosta dessa história — my son likes that story (dessa = de + essa; used for something a bit farther or previously mentioned).

Meu filho adorou esta história — my son loved this story (adorou = loved, past tense).

Meus filhos gostam desta história — my children like this story (plural).

Choosing between este/esta, esse/essa, and aquele/aquela

Demonstratives help specify which story you mean. Use esta or este for something close to the speaker. Use essa or esse for something near the listener or already mentioned. Use aquela or aquele for something farther away.

Examples:

Meu filho gosta desta história. (This story we are reading now)

Meu filho gosta dessa história. (That story you showed him earlier)

Meu filho gosta daquela história. (That story over there, on the shelf)

Common verbs and conjugations beginners need

The most important verb here is gostar. In Portuguese, gostar uses indirect object pronouns for people affected.

Eu gosto — I like

Ele gosta — He likes

Ela gostou — She liked (past)

They also use gostar with de: gostar de algo = to like something. In natural speech, you can often drop the de when using demonstratives like desta, dessa.

Useful vocabulary related to stories and children

livro — book

história — story

conto — tale

lendo — reading

brincar — to play

brinquedo — toy

alegre — happy

chorar — to cry

dormir — to sleep

quero — I want

Short beginner-friendly dialogues

Situation: A parent and a librarian talking about a child at story time.

Bibliotecária: Tem um livro infantil novo.

Pai: Ótimo. Meu filho gosta desta história?

Bibliotecária: Sim, muitas crianças gostam. Quer que eu leia?

Pai: Sim, por favor.

Situation: At home, a parent asks the child about a book.

Mãe: Você quer ouvir a história?

Filho: Sim! Eu gosto desta história!

Mãe: Então vamos ler outra vez.

Polite and casual ways to say it

For casual speech with family and friends use the basic sentence: Meu filho gosta desta história.

For a polite or more complete phrase when speaking to teachers or caregivers, add context: Meu filho gosta desta história, ele se acalma quando a gente lê — my son likes this story, he calms down when we read it.

To make it negative: Meu filho não gosta desta história — my son does not like this story.

Common questions you might hear and short replies

Do you want simple Q&A that can come up around the topic? Here are realistic examples.

Você quer ouvir a história de novo? / Sim, por favor. — Do you want to hear the story again? / Yes, please.

Qual história ele prefere? / Ele prefere esta. — Which story does he prefer? / He prefers this one.

Ele gostou? / Sim, ele gostou muito. — Did he like it? / Yes, he liked it a lot.

Pronunciation tips for beginners

Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation focuses on vowel sounds and nasal vowels. Pronounce gosto as GOH-sto, filho as FEE-lyo (the lh is like the y in yes), and história as EE-STOH-ree-ah, with a clear stress on the second syllable.

Observe that desta contracts de + esta; say it as DEH-sta quickly. Practice the sound of r in Brazilian Portuguese: in many accents r between vowels sounds like the English r, but word-final r can sound like an English h or be silent depending on region.

Common mistakes beginners make

Omitting the demonstrative: Saying Meu filho gosta história is incorrect. You need a demonstrative or preposition: Meu filho gosta desta história or Meu filho gosta da história.

Using gosto instead of gosta: For third person singular use gosta (ele/ela gosta), not gosto.

Mixing meu/minha: Use minha filha for daughter (feminine) and meu filho for son (masculine). For plural, meus filhos or minhas filhas.

Practical situations and sample sentences

At a bookstore: Meu filho gosta desta história. Tem outros livros parecidos? — My son likes this story. Do you have other similar books?

Message to a teacher: Olá, minha filha gostou muito desta história na aula hoje. Obrigada! — Hello, my daughter really liked this story in class today. Thank you!

Phone call to babysitter: O bebê não parava de chorar até eu ler esta história. Meu filho gosta dela. — The baby wouldn’t stop crying until I read this story. My son likes it.

Short practice dialogue for parents

Pai: Qual é a história preferida do João?

Mãe: Ele gosta desta história do urso. Sempre pede para ler.

Pai: Então comprarei outro livro do mesmo autor.

Extra beginner tips

When pointing at a book, use esta história if you hold it, and essa história if the listener holds it. Small gestures help beginners connect words with objects.

Listen to native speakers reading children’s books to learn rhythm and intonation. Repeat short phrases aloud to build confidence.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not directly translate English idioms. For example, saying My child digs this story as a literal translation will not work. Use the common verb gostar or adorar when describing enjoyment.

Avoid mixing infinitive forms incorrectly: Quero ler esta história (I want to read this story) is correct; Quero ler esta história para meu filho is also natural.

Resources for further learning

Children’s picture books, storytime videos from Brazilian libraries, and simple audiobooks are excellent for mastering short phrases like the ones in this article. Look for content labeled infantil or livros infantis.

Conclusion

Mastering the sentence Meu filho gosta desta história opens the door to many simple family conversations in Brazilian Portuguese. Use the variations and practical examples in real settings—bookstores, homes, schools—and remember the small grammar points: agreement of meu/minha, third-person gusta/gosta, and demonstratives like esta/essa. With these phrases you can confidently talk about what your child enjoys.