How to use “Gostar” in Portuguese for likes and preferences

Introduction

Learning how to express likes and preferences is one of the first practical skills for Portuguese learners. This article explains how to use gostar in Brazilian Portuguese for talking about what you and others like, with clear grammar, vocabulary, common phrases, realistic examples, and beginner tips.

What does gostar mean?

Gostar is the Portuguese verb used to say that someone likes something or has a preference. In English it often translates as like, to enjoy, or to be fond of. In Portuguese, gostar works differently from English because the liked thing is the subject in grammar while the person who likes is an indirect object.

Basic structure

The standard pattern for expressing likes is: subject + gostar conjugated + indirect object pronoun. For example, to say I like coffee you use a phrase that literally means coffee pleases me.

Example:

Eu gosto de café.

Conjugating gostar for beginners

Start with the present tense because beginners need it most for everyday conversation. Here are the present tense forms with the pronouns:

Eu gosto

Tu gostas (used regionally; less common in Brazil; more formal text)

Ele/ela gosta

Nós gostamos

Vocês gostam

Eles/elas gostam

Important note about pronouns in Brazil

In Brazil, people commonly use você and vocês instead of tu in informal speech. Use você gosta as equivalent to English you like, but the verb form is the third person (gosta). Example:

Você gosta de música brasileira?

How to add the person who likes: indirect object pronouns

Because the liked thing is the grammatical subject, you need an indirect object pronoun to show who likes it. Common pronouns:

me = me (to me)

te = you (informal, to you)

lhe = to him/to her (formal, less common in conversation)

nos = us (to us)

vos = you plural (rare in Brazil)

lhes = to them (formal)

Practical structure with pronouns

Put the indirect object pronoun before the verb in neutral sentences. Examples:

Eu gosto de praia. = I like beach. or Praia me agrada.
Common and correct: Eu gosto de praia.

Ele gosta de futebol. = He likes soccer.

Nós gostamos de viajar. = We like to travel.

Using gostar with de and verbs

To say you like a noun, follow gostar with de + noun. For verbs (actions), use gostar de + infinitive. Examples show real beginner phrases.

Gosto de sorvete.

Gosto de dançar.

We translated both as I like ice cream and I like to dance. Note that the preposition de is needed in both cases.

Common beginner examples

Eu gosto de música.
Meaning: I like music.

Você gosta de café?
Meaning: Do you like coffee?

Ela gosta de ler.
Meaning: She likes to read.

Nós gostamos de cinema.
Meaning: We like movies.

Negative sentences: saying you do not like something

To make a negative sentence, place não before the verb. Examples are short and practical for beginners.

Eu não gosto de cebola.
Meaning: I do not like onion.

Ele não gosta de frio.
Meaning: He does not like cold weather.

Asking questions with gostar

Use question intonation or add question words. Common patterns are simple and useful.

Você gosta de açaí?
Meaning: Do you like açaí?

O que você gosta de fazer no fim de semana?
Meaning: What do you like to do on the weekend?

Que tipo de música você gosta?
Meaning: What kind of music do you like?

Short conversational replies

Sim, gosto. = Yes, I like it.

Não, não gosto. = No, I don’t like it.

Mais ou menos. = More or less. / I sort of like it.

Expressing strong preferences and dislikes

Beginners can build intensity with adverbs. These words are common and useful in conversations, menus, and messages.

Eu gosto muito de feijoada. = I really like feijoada.

Eu adoro feijoada. = I love feijoada. (Adoro is stronger than gosto)

Eu detesto cebola. = I hate onion. (Detesto is strong; use with care)

Adverbs to learn

muito = very / a lot

um pouco = a little

nada = not at all

Examples:

Gosto um pouco de sushi.

Não gosto nada de comida apimentada.

Common mistakes beginners make

Mistake 1: Leaving out de after gostar when followed by a noun or verb. Incorrect: Eu gosto filme. Correct: Eu gosto de filme or Eu gosto de filmes.

Mistake 2: Using subject-object order like English. Incorrect: Eu gosto você. Correct: Eu gosto de você or Gosto de você (note that gostar de + person is used differently because for people you can use gostar de alguém).

Mistake 3: Using the wrong pronoun for você. Many learners try tu forms but hear você a lot in Brazil. Example: Incorrect: Tu gosta de samba. Correct: Tu gostas de samba or Você gosta de samba.

Talking about people and relationships

Gostar de can express liking a person platonically. For romantic liking, Brazilians often use gostar de alguém or gostar muito de alguém. To say you love someone romantically you would use amar or gostar muito depending on context.

Examples:

Eu gosto de Maria. = I like Maria. (friendly or romantic depending on context)

Eu gosto muito dela. = I like her a lot.

Eu a amo. = I love her. (stronger; use amar for romantic love)

Polite and casual ways to use gostar in real situations

When ordering, shopping, or choosing activities, use gostar to express preferences politely. Examples you might use or see on menus, forms, or conversations.

Eu gostaria de água, por favor. = I would like water, please. (Note: This uses gostar in conditional form gostar + ia: gostaria. Useful for polite requests.)

Gosto deste prato. = I like this dish.

Você gosta do doce da casa? = Do you like the house specialty?

Conditional polite forms for beginners

To be polite, learn gostaria, a conditional/courteous form. It is common in restaurants and customer service.

Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.

Gostaria de ver o cardápio? = Would you like to see the menu?

Practice phrases and mini-dialogues

Short dialogues help beginners recognize patterns. Use these practical examples when speaking or listening.

A: Você gosta de cinema?
B: Sim, gosto muito. E você?
A: Também gosto. Vamos no sábado?

A: Gosta de suco de maracujá?
B: Não muito. Prefiro suco de laranja.

Beginner tips for remembering usar gostar

Tip 1: Always link gostar with de before a noun or infinitive verb in most cases.

Tip 2: Learn the present tense forms and the common indirect object pronouns. Practice with short sentences about your daily life: comida, música, hobbies.

Tip 3: Use gostaria for polite requests in restaurants and stores; it is very useful and common in Brazil.

Useful vocabulary list (Brazilian Portuguese)

gostar de = to like

gosto = I like

gostaria = I would like

não gosto = I don’t like

muito = a lot

um pouco = a little

adorar = to love (very much)

detestar = to hate

praia = beach

música = music

café = coffee

feijoada = traditional Brazilian dish

Common phrases you will see or hear

Eu gosto daqui. = I like it here. (useful for describing a place)

Gosto de novidades. = I like new things.

Gosto de aprender português. = I like learning Portuguese.

Gosta de viajar? = Do you like to travel?

Quick review: do’s and don’ts

Do use de after gostar with nouns and verbs.

Do use você gosta in everyday Brazilian speech.

Do learn gostaria for polite requests.

Don’t translate word-for-word from English; remember the grammatical subject is often the thing being liked.

Don’t assume gostar always means romantic love; context and verbs like amar or adorar change nuance.

Conclusion

Mastering gostar gives you a powerful tool for everyday conversation in Brazilian Portuguese. Focus on the present tense forms, use de before nouns and infinitives, practice indirect object pronouns, and learn gostaria for polite requests. With the phrases and examples here you can start talking about tastes, food, music, and activities right away.