A2 Expression Neutral

prendere gusto

to enjoy something

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'prendere gusto' when you start enjoying an activity more and more as you keep doing it.

  • Means: To gradually develop a liking or passion for a specific activity.
  • Used in: Hobbies, sports, new jobs, or even trying new foods.
  • Don't confuse: 'Avere gusto' (having good taste) with 'prendere gusto' (starting to like).
Initial effort 😰 + Repetition 🔁 = Growing enjoyment 😋

Explanation at your level:

In Italian, 'prendere gusto' means you start to like something. Think of 'gusto' like the taste of food. At first, you try a new activity, like Italian class. Then, you find it fun. You say: 'Prendo gusto a studiare'. It is very simple. Use it for hobbies like sports or cooking.
This expression is used when an activity becomes more enjoyable over time. It's common to use it with 'ci', as in 'prenderci gusto'. For example, if you start running and after a week you love it, you have 'preso gusto' to running. It's perfect for talking about your new habits or things you've recently discovered.
'Prendere gusto' describes the transition from being a novice to becoming an enthusiast. It implies a psychological shift where the effort of a task is outweighed by the pleasure it provides. Grammatically, remember to use the preposition 'a' before an infinitive. It's often used in the 'passato prossimo' because it marks the moment you realized you liked the activity.
This idiomatic expression captures the nuance of developing an affinity for something through repeated exposure. Unlike 'piacere', which can be static, 'prendere gusto' is dynamic—it suggests an evolution of interest. It can also be used ironically to describe someone who is becoming too comfortable with a privilege or a potentially negative habit, such as winning too often or being lazy.
Linguistically, 'prendere gusto' functions as a phrasal verb where 'gusto' loses its purely culinary denotation to represent aesthetic or hedonic satisfaction. The construction 'prenderci gusto' utilizes the locative 'ci' to encapsulate the entire context of the activity. It is an essential phrase for achieving native-like fluency when discussing personal motivation, the psychology of habits, or the 'flow state' achieved during complex tasks.
The expression 'prendere gusto' serves as a cognitive metaphor, mapping the physiological domain of gustatory pleasure onto the abstract domain of volitional engagement. It reflects a conceptual framework where 'interest' is treated as a consumable resource that one 'takes' from an experience. Mastery involves navigating its subtle connotations—from the innocent discovery of a pastime to the more cynical 'prenderci gusto' in power dynamics or manipulative behaviors.

Bedeutung

Starting to like an activity.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

The use of 'gusto' (taste) for hobbies reflects how central food and sensory pleasure are to the Italian identity. If you 'take taste' to something, you are consuming it with your soul. Italians use 'Non prenderci gusto!' as a playful way to set boundaries. It's often said by parents to children or between close friends when a favor is granted. In some southern regions, you might hear 'trovarci gusto' more frequently than 'prenderci gusto', emphasizing the 'finding' of the pleasure. In Italian workplaces, 'prendere gusto' is seen as the key to productivity. It's believed that once an employee 'takes taste' to a project, the quality of work improves drastically.

🎯

Use 'Ci'

If you want to sound like a native, always use 'ci' (prenderci gusto) when the activity has already been mentioned. It makes your Italian flow much better.

⚠️

Preposition Alert

Never use 'di' after 'prendere gusto'. It's always 'a'. Think: 'I'm going TO (a) the taste'.

Bedeutung

Starting to like an activity.

🎯

Use 'Ci'

If you want to sound like a native, always use 'ci' (prenderci gusto) when the activity has already been mentioned. It makes your Italian flow much better.

⚠️

Preposition Alert

Never use 'di' after 'prendere gusto'. It's always 'a'. Think: 'I'm going TO (a) the taste'.

💬

Playful Warning

Use 'Non prenderci gusto!' when someone asks for a second favor. It's a classic Italian way to be funny but firm.

Teste dich selbst

Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'prendere gusto' and the necessary preposition.

All'inizio non mi piaceva il nuoto, ma ora ci ______ ______.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: ho preso gusto

The 'ci' is already there, so we need the past participle 'preso gusto' to show the change has happened.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Choose the correct option:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ho preso gusto a studiare la storia.

'Prendere gusto' always requires the preposition 'a' before an infinitive.

Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.

A: 'Ti va di fare un'altra partita a scacchi?' B: 'Certo! ______ ______ a batterti!'

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Ci ho preso gusto

In a conversation, 'ci ho preso gusto' is the most natural way to say 'I've gotten into it'.

Match the sentence to the most likely situation.

Sentence: 'Non prenderci gusto a farti prestare i soldi!'

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: A friend who is becoming lazy with money.

The phrase is used here as a warning against developing a bad habit.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Häufig gestellte Fragen

4 Fragen

No, it's only for activities or situations. For people, use 'cominciare ad apprezzare' or 'affezionarsi'.

Usually 'prendere gusto' (no article) for the figurative meaning. 'Prendere il gusto' is literal, like tasting a specific ingredient.

'Piacere' is just 'to like'. 'Prendere gusto' is the *process* of starting to like something more and more.

It's neutral. You can use it with friends, but also with your boss to show you are enjoying a new project.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

Prendere la mano

similar

To get the hang of something / to become skilled.

🔗

Avere buon gusto

related

To have good taste.

🔗

Dare gusto

contrast

To give pleasure / to be satisfying.

🔗

Appassionarsi

builds on

To become passionate about.

Wo du es verwendest

🏋️

At the Gym

Trainer: Com'è andata la prima settimana di pesi?

Client: Faticosa, ma ci ho preso gusto! Mi sento molto più forte.

informal
🇮🇹

Learning a Language

Insegnante: Ti piace studiare i verbi irregolari?

Studente: All'inizio no, ma ora che capisco le logiche ci sto prendendo gusto.

neutral
👨‍🍳

In the Kitchen

Amico: Hai cucinato tu questa cena gourmet?

Cuoco: Sì, ho iniziato per caso e ci ho preso gusto. Ora sperimento sempre.

neutral
💻

Office/Work

Capo: Ti trovi bene con il nuovo software di analisi?

Impiegato: Sì, dopo i primi giorni difficili ci ho preso gusto. È molto utile.

neutral
🎮

Gaming

Giocatore 1: Hai vinto ancora! Sei diventato bravissimo.

Giocatore 2: Eh sì, ci ho preso gusto a batterti!

informal
🛍️

Shopping/Fashion

Mamma: Hai comprato un altro paio di scarpe?

Figlia: Scusa mamma, ci ho preso gusto a fare shopping online!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Taking a Taste' of a new hobby. If the first bite is good, you'll want the whole meal!

Visual Association

Imagine a person tentatively dipping a toe into a swimming pool, then suddenly jumping in with a huge smile and a snorkel. They 'took the taste' of the water.

Rhyme

Se ci prendi gusto, il divertimento è giusto! (If you get into it, the fun is right!)

Story

Marco hated gardening. His wife forced him to plant one tomato. He saw it grow, tasted it, and suddenly he was buying seeds every weekend. He 'ci ha preso gusto' and now his balcony is a jungle.

Word Web

gustosaporepiacereabitudinepassionedivertimentointeressanteentusiasmo

Herausforderung

Write down one thing you hated doing as a child but that you 'hai preso gusto' to doing as an adult.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Cogerle il gusto / Tomarle el gusto

The choice of verb (coger/tomar) varies by region, whereas Italian almost exclusively uses 'prendere'.

French high

Prendre goût à

French rarely uses a pronominal particle like 'ci' in this specific construction.

German moderate

Gefallen finden an

It sounds slightly more formal and less 'sensory' than the Italian version.

Japanese partial

味を占める (aji o shimeru)

Italian is usually positive/neutral; Japanese is often a warning about greed or bad habits.

Arabic moderate

استحلى (stahla)

Focuses on the quality of 'sweetness' rather than the general sense of 'taste'.

Chinese low

产生兴趣 (chǎnshēng xìngqù)

Lacks the culinary metaphor found in Romance languages.

Korean high

맛을 들이다 (maseul deurida)

The verb 'deurida' implies letting the habit 'enter' your life.

Portuguese high

Tomar gosto por

Uses the preposition 'por' (for) instead of the Italian 'a' (to).

Easily Confused

prendere gusto vs. Avere gusto

Learners often use 'avere gusto' when they mean they are starting to like something.

Use 'Avere' for a quality you possess (good taste); use 'Prendere' for a change in your feelings (starting to like).

prendere gusto vs. Prendere il gusto

The addition of the article 'il' makes it literal.

Keep it article-free ('prendere gusto') for the figurative meaning of 'getting into' a hobby.

FAQ (4)

No, it's only for activities or situations. For people, use 'cominciare ad apprezzare' or 'affezionarsi'.

Usually 'prendere gusto' (no article) for the figurative meaning. 'Prendere il gusto' is literal, like tasting a specific ingredient.

'Piacere' is just 'to like'. 'Prendere gusto' is the *process* of starting to like something more and more.

It's neutral. You can use it with friends, but also with your boss to show you are enjoying a new project.

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