Introduction
Learning how to say what you like and dislike is one of the first practical skills in Brazilian Portuguese. This article explains how to use gostar de to express likes and dislikes, with clear grammar, vocabulary, everyday examples, beginner tips, and common mistakes to avoid.
- What does gostar de mean?
- Conjugation for beginners
- Expressing dislikes
- Talking about frequency and intensity
- Using gostar de with gerund and infinitive
- Common vocabulary for likes and dislikes
- Practical everyday phrases
- Questions and short answers
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Practice activities for beginners
- Useful tips to sound natural
- Quick reference: conjugation cheat sheet (present)
- Common phrases using gostar beyond liking
- Review checklist for learners
- Conclusion
What does gostar de mean?
Gostar de is the verb phrase used in Brazilian Portuguese to say you like or do not like something. Literally it means to feel pleasure for something, but for beginners it functions like the English verb like. Use gostar with the preposition de before the thing or activity you enjoy.
Basic structure
Affirmative: Subject + conjugated form of gostar + de + noun or verb (infinitive)
Negative: Subject + não + conjugated form of gostar + de + noun or verb (infinitive)
Question: Conjugated form of gostar + subject + de + noun or verb?
Conjugation for beginners
Start with the present tense to talk about current likes. These are the most common forms for beginners.
Eu gosto de = I like
Você gosta de / Tu gostas de = You like (formal/informal differences: focus on você in Brazil)
Ele gosta de / Ela gosta de = He likes / She likes
Nós gostamos de = We like
Vocês gostam de = You (plural) like
Eles gostam de / Elas gostam de = They like
Example sentences with nouns
Eu gosto de música. (I like music.)
Ela gosta de café. (She likes coffee.)
Nós gostamos de praia. (We like the beach.)
Example sentences with verbs (infinitive)
Eu gosto de nadar. (I like to swim.)
Você gosta de viajar? (Do you like to travel?)
Eles gostam de cozinhar. (They like to cook.)
Expressing dislikes
To say you do not like something, place não before the conjugated verb. This is the simplest negative structure.
Eu não gosto de peixe. (I do not like fish.)
Ela não gosta de acordar cedo. (She does not like waking up early.)
Vocês não gostam de trânsito. (You all do not like traffic.)
Stronger dislike and aversion
For stronger expressions, Brazilians often use eu detesto or eu odeio, but for beginners it is enough to know that these are more intense than não gosto de.
Eu detesto frio. (I hate cold.)
Eu odeio mentira. (I hate lying.)
Talking about frequency and intensity
Add adverbs or frequency words to show how much or how often you like something.
Muito = very / a lot
Um pouco = a little
Muito pouco = very little
Eu gosto muito de chocolate. (I like chocolate a lot.)
Eu gosto um pouco de salsa. (I like parsley a little.)
Ela não gosta muito de futebol. (She does not like soccer very much.)
Common frequency words
Sempre = always
Frequentemente = often
Às vezes = sometimes
Raramente = rarely
Ela gosta sempre de música brasileira. (She always likes Brazilian music.)
Eu gosto às vezes de filmes antigos. (I sometimes like old movies.)
Using gostar de with gerund and infinitive
Beginners should use the infinitive form for activities: de + infinitive (nadar, dançar, ler). The gerund (ex. estar gostando) is used in progressive actions but is less common for basic likes.
Eu gosto de ler. (I like to read.)
Eu estou gostando do livro. (I am liking the book / I am enjoying the book.) — a temporary reaction
Common vocabulary for likes and dislikes
Food and drink: comida, café, chocolate, peixe, frutas
Activities: viajar, caminhar, cozinhar, dançar, cantar
Places: praia, parque, restaurante, cinema
Entertainment: música, filme, série, livro
People and relationships: família, amigos, colega
Examples: Eu gosto de frutas. / Você gosta de dançar? / Eles gostam de filmes brasileiros.
Practical everyday phrases
Short phrases you will hear or use in a café, class, or with new friends:
O que você gosta de comer? (What do you like to eat?)
Eu gosto de experimentar comidas novas. (I like to try new foods.)
Que tipo de música você gosta? (What kind of music do you like?)
Eu gosto de MPB e samba. (I like MPB and samba.)
Você gosta de sair à noite? (Do you like going out at night?)
Eu não gosto de ficar em grandes festas. (I do not like staying at big parties.)
Questions and short answers
To ask if someone likes something, use Você gosta de…?
Você gosta de sushi? (Do you like sushi?)
Short answers:
Sim, eu gosto. (Yes, I like it.)
Não, eu não gosto. (No, I do not like it.)
Gosto muito. (I like it a lot.) — common conversational short reply
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
1. Forgetting the preposition de
Incorrect: Eu gosto música.
Correct: Eu gosto de música.
2. Wrong verb conjugation with subject
Incorrect: Eu gosta de viajar.
Correct: Eu gosto de viajar.
3. Using gostar without an object when meaning like someone romantically
In Portuguese, gostar de + pessoa can mean you like someone, but context matters. For romantic interest, Brazilians often add more context or use namorar, gostar muito de, or estar apaixonado.
Eu gosto da Maria. (I like Maria — could be friendly or romantic depending on tone.)
4. Confusing gostar with ter gosto (to taste)
Eu tenho gosto de chocolate is incorrect for I like chocolate. Use Eu gosto de chocolate.
Practice activities for beginners
Activity 1: Make a daily list — every morning say three things you like and do not like using Eu gosto de and Eu não gosto de.
Activity 2: Menu reading — when reading a menu, practice sentences like Eu gosto de sopa or Eu não gosto de carne.
Activity 3: Pair question — with a classmate or friend ask and answer five questions: O que você gosta de fazer no fim de semana? Onde você gosta de comer? Que tipo de música você gosta?
Example dialog for beginners
A: O que você gosta de fazer no fim de semana?
B: Eu gosto de caminhar no parque e assistir séries. E você?
A: Eu gosto de cozinhar e encontrar amigos.
Useful tips to sound natural
Use você instead of tu in most Brazilian conversations unless you are in a region or with friends who use tu. You will hear gosto de seguido de noun or verb infinitive — keep the structure simple at first. Add adverbs like muito or às vezes to make short speech more natural. When speaking about people, include a definite article when needed: Eu gosto da Ana (I like Ana) vs Eu gosto de Ana — both heard, but articles are common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Quick reference: conjugation cheat sheet (present)
Eu gosto de
Você gosta de
Ele/Ela gosta de
Nós gostamos de
Vocês gostam de
Eles/Elas gostam de
Common phrases using gostar beyond liking
Gostar can appear in expressions like gostar de verdade (to really like), gostar mais de (to prefer), and gostar de alguém (to like someone). Learning these short phrases helps in everyday conversation.
Eu gosto mais de chá do que de café. (I prefer tea over coffee.)
Ela gosta de verdade desse artista. (She really likes that artist.)
Review checklist for learners
Can you conjugate gostar in the present for eu, você, and nós?
Do you remember to use de after gostar?
Can you form negative sentences with não before gostar?
Can you ask and answer a simple question using Você gosta de…?
Can you add an adverb to show intensity: muito, um pouco, sempre?
Conclusion
Mastering gostar de gives you a powerful tool to express preferences in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Focus first on the present tense forms, always include de before nouns or infinitives, and practice common phrases you will hear in cafes, classes, and conversations. Use the example sentences and activities here to build confidence and natural speech quickly.
