Introduction
Many English speakers learning Brazilian Portuguese try to translate directly from English and end up saying Eu gosto pizza. This looks natural in English but is grammatically incorrect in Portuguese. This article explains why, step by step, with clear grammar rules, correct alternatives, and real Brazilian Portuguese examples to help you sound natural.
- Why Eu gosto pizza is wrong
- Conjugation basics and examples
- When to use the definite article
- Using verbs differently: gostar de vs. gostar + infinitive
- Negative sentences and questions
- Pronouns and pet peeves: me, te, lhe, and gostar
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Related verbs and patterns to learn
- Quick reference: formulas
- Common follow-up phrases with gostar
- Conclusion
Why Eu gosto pizza is wrong
In Portuguese, the verb gostar does not work the same way as like in English. The structure is different: while English uses a subject + verb + direct object, Portuguese requires a prepositional construction. The verb gostar needs the preposition de before the thing you like. Saying Eu gosto pizza leaves out that preposition and makes the sentence ungrammatical.
The correct structure
The correct pattern is subject + conjugated form of gostar + de + noun/pronoun. For first person singular, that gives:
Eu gosto de pizza.
Here gosto is the conjugated verb and de links the verb to the object.
Why Portuguese uses de with gostar Portuguese verbs often require prepositions to connect with their complements. Gostar is one of those verbs that uses the preposition de to introduce the thing that is liked. This is similar to how in English some verbs need prepositions, for example depend on or look at. Therefore you must learn which verbs take prepositions; for gostar, that preposition is always de. Conjugation basics and examples
Here are the present tense forms of gostar so you can see how it changes with different subjects:
Eu gosto de
Tu gostas de
Ele/ela gosta de
Nós gostamos de
Vocês gostam de
Eles/elas gostam de
Now with pizza as the object:
Eu gosto de pizza.
Tu gostas de pizza.
Ele gosta de pizza.
Nós gostamos de pizza.
Vocês gostam de pizza.
Eles gostam de pizza.
Pronoun variations and polite forms
In Brazilian Portuguese, você is often used instead of tu in many regions. The conjugation matches the third person singular:
Você gosta de pizza.
When using the formal pronoun o senhor or a senhora, you also use third person singular:
O senhor gosta de pizza?
A senhora gosta de pizza?
When to use the definite article
Portuguese commonly uses definite articles with general nouns. You can say both Eu gosto de pizza and Eu gosto de a pizza, but they mean slightly different things. Eu gosto de pizza means I like pizza in general. Eu gosto da pizza means I like the pizza, referring to a specific pizza. Note that da is the contraction of de + a.
Examples:
Eu gosto de pizza. (I like pizza in general.)
Eu gosto da pizza que você trouxe. (I like the pizza you brought.)
Contractions with de
When de meets definite articles, Portuguese contracts them. Common contractions are:
de + o = do
de + a = da
de + os = dos
de + as = das
So:
Eu gosto do suco. (I like the juice.)
Eu gosto das frutas. (I like the fruits.)
Using verbs differently: gostar de vs. gostar + infinitive
Gostar can be followed by a noun or an infinitive verb. With nouns you need de, and with infinitives you also keep de before the verb phrase.
Eu gosto de pizza. (noun)
Eu gosto de cantar. (I like to sing.)
Note: In both cases de remains. Some learners think that when adding an infinitive the preposition disappears, but it does not: you always use gostar de + noun or gostar de + infinitive.
Examples with infinitives
Eu gosto de viajar. (I like to travel.)
Nós gostamos de dançar. (We like to dance.)
Eles gostam de estudar português. (They like to study Portuguese.)
Negative sentences and questions
Making negative sentences or asking questions does not change the requirement for de. Place não before the verb for negation, and keep de before the object.
Eu não gosto de pizza. (I don’t like pizza.)
Você gosta de pizza? (Do you like pizza?)
Questions with que and por que
If you ask why someone likes something, you still keep the structure around gostar:
Por que você gosta de pizza? (Why do you like pizza?)
Porque eu gosto do sabor. (Because I like the flavor.)
Pronouns and pet peeves: me, te, lhe, and gostar
Portuguese also allows clitic pronouns that can change word order. You can emphasize the person who likes something by using indirect object pronouns, because gostar treats the liked item as an indirect object in Portuguese. This is why you might see constructions like:
Eu gosto de pizza. (neutral)
Gosto de pizza. (omit subject pronoun, common in speech)
To emphasize the person who receives the feeling, use an indirect object pronoun:
Eu gosto de você. (I like you.)
Eu te gosto is uncommon in Brazilian Portuguese; more natural is Eu gosto de você. Using Eu te gosto sounds archaic or regional. For most learners stick with Eu gosto de + noun/pronoun.
Why indirect object pronouns can be confusing
Because in European Portuguese or older registers you may encounter structures where the person is expressed with a clitic and the thing liked follows, for example:
Gosto-te. (European Portuguese, I like you.)
In Brazilian Portuguese, Gosto de você or Eu gosto de você are far more natural and safer for learners.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
English speakers often omit de because in English you can say I like pizza without a preposition. To avoid mistakes:
– Always pair gostar with de when talking about things or activities.
– Remember that you can use contractions like do/da/dos/das when needed.
– Use Eu gosto de + noun to express general preferences, and Eu gosto da + noun when referring to a specific item.
Examples showing wrong and right forms
Wrong: Eu gosto pizza.
Right: Eu gosto de pizza.
Wrong: Ela gosta música.
Right: Ela gosta de música.
Wrong: Nós gostamos futebol.
Right: Nós gostamos de futebol.
Related verbs and patterns to learn
Learning which verbs require prepositions will help you beyond gostar. Common verbs with required prepositions include:
precisar de (to need)
gostar de (to like)
depender de (to depend on)
achar (works like English think and can take direct objects differently, e.g., Eu acho isso interessante)
Notice how the preposition changes meaning in certain verbs, so study them as set phrases rather than literal translations.
Cultural and usage notes
In Brazil, people often express preferences casually and drop subject pronouns: Gosto de pizza is perfectly natural. When talking about food, you may also hear specific regional phrases, slang, or contractions in informal speech, but the grammatical requirement for de with gostar remains constant. Using the correct structure will help you be understood across Brazil’s diverse dialects.
Quick reference: formulas
Basic affirmative: Subject + gostar conjugated + de + noun/infinitive
Example: Eu gosto de pizza.
Negative: Subject + não + gostar conjugated + de + noun/infinitive
Example: Eu não gosto de cebola.
Specific object with article: Subject + gostar conjugated + de + definite article + noun
Example: Eu gosto da pizza que você fez.
Common follow-up phrases with gostar
Once you master the structure, you can expand your sentences naturally:
Eu gosto de pizza, principalmente pizza de calabresa. (I like pizza, especially calabresa pizza.)
Eu gosto de cinema e de séries. (I like cinema and series.)
Ela gosta de viajar, especialmente para o Nordeste. (She likes to travel, especially to the Northeast.)
Conclusion
Saying Eu gosto pizza is wrong because gostar requires the preposition de before the thing you like. Use Eu gosto de pizza for general likes and Eu gosto da pizza for a specific pizza. Remember contractions like do/da/dos/das, keep de before infinitives, and prefer Eu gosto de você over Eu te gosto in Brazilian Portuguese. With these rules, your Portuguese will sound more natural and grammatically correct.
