The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Portuguese, you don't just 'like' something; you 'like OF' something, so always include the preposition 'de'.
- Always pair 'gostar' with 'de': Eu gosto de café.
- The 'de' changes if the next word is a definite article: de + o = do, de + a = da.
- Conjugate 'gostar' normally for the subject: Eu gosto, você gosta, nós gostamos.
Overview
The Portuguese verb gostar translates to "to like" in English, yet its grammatical behavior fundamentally differs from its English counterpart. Unlike English, where "like" directly precedes its object (e.g., "I like pizza"), gostar is a transitive indirect verb. This means it requires a preposition, specifically de, to connect it to its object.
Ignoring this crucial de is a common error among learners and significantly alters the meaning or renders the sentence grammatically incorrect. You do not simply "like" something; you "like of" something, or more accurately, you "have an appreciation of" it. This subtle distinction is central to mastering gostar from the very beginning of your Portuguese journey.
This grammatical structure reflects a broader pattern in Portuguese where certain verbs govern specific prepositions. Gostar is an -ar verb, following regular conjugation patterns in the present tense, making its core conjugation relatively straightforward. However, the consistent and mandatory use of de and its contractions with definite articles (o, a, os, as) forms the primary challenge and learning objective for this verb.
Understanding gostar de is not merely memorizing a phrase, but internalizing a core syntactical rule that applies widely in Portuguese to verbs of preference and opinion.
Conjugation Table
| Person | Portuguese Subject Pronoun (PT/BR) | Verb Form | English Equivalent | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :------------- | :--------------------------------- | :-------- | :----------------- | ||
| I | Eu |
gosto |
I like | ||
| You (Singular) | Tu (PT) / Você (BR) |
gostas (PT) / gosta (BR) |
You like | ||
| He/She/It | Ele / Ela / Você (PT) |
gosta |
He/she/it likes / You like | ||
| We | Nós |
gostamos |
We like | ||
| You (Plural) | Vocês |
gostam |
You (plural) like | ||
| They | Eles / Elas |
gostam |
They like |
How This Grammar Works
gostar is rooted in its status as a transitive indirect verb. This means that the action of "liking" does not directly pass to the object; instead, it requires an intermediary preposition. In Portuguese, this intermediary is invariably de (of/from).gostar but also how pronouns referring to the object are formed.gostar will be: Subject + Conjugated Gostar + de + Object (noun or infinitive verb).gostar de something, you are expressing a preference or affection in relation to or concerning that object, rather than directly acting upon it. This distinguishes it from direct transitive verbs like comer (to eat), where the action directly consumes the object: Eu como pão (I eat bread). Gostar requires de as its mandatory connective tissue.de does not always stand alone. When de precedes a definite article (o, a, os, as), it contracts with that article. These contractions are not optional; they are a fundamental and mandatory aspect of Portuguese grammar, forming new words that combine the preposition and the article.de+o(masculine singular 'the') =dode+a(feminine singular 'the') =dade+os(masculine plural 'the') =dosde+as(feminine plural 'the') =das
Eu gosto de café. However, if you like the specific coffee that is served at a particular cafe, you would say Eu gosto do café desta cafeteria.do makes the coffee specific. This rule applies uniformly across all genders and numbers of nouns. Mastering these contractions early is vital for fluent and accurate Portuguese.Formation Pattern
gostar is highly consistent. Once you grasp the conjugated verb form and the mandatory preposition de (and its contractions), constructing grammatically correct sentences becomes predictable. The pattern distinguishes between general preferences and specific ones, as well as liking activities.
gostar (conjugated) + de + Noun
de alone when the noun is general or uncountable, not preceded by an article.
Eu gosto de música. (I like music.) — referring to music in general.
Nós gostamos de chocolate. (We like chocolate.) — chocolate as a general category.
Eles gostam de livros. (They like books.) — books in general, not specific ones.
gostar (conjugated) + (contracted de + Article) + Noun
de must contract with the definite article (o, a, os, as) that precedes the specific noun.
Eu gosto do carro novo. (I like the new car.) — de + o = do because carro is masculine singular.
Ela gosta da comida brasileira. (She likes Brazilian food.) — de + a = da because comida is feminine singular.
Você gosta dos filmes de terror? (Do you like horror movies?) — de + os = dos because filmes is masculine plural.
Eles gostam das praias do Brasil. (They like the beaches of Brazil.) — de + as = das because praias is feminine plural.
gostar (conjugated) + de + Infinitive Verb
de.
Nós gostamos de viajar. (We like to travel.) — viajar is the infinitive.
Ele gosta de ler. (He likes to read.) — ler is the infinitive.
Vocês gostam de cozinhar? (Do you (plural) like to cook?) — cozinhar is the infinitive.
de or its contractions will naturally follow.
When To Use It
gostar to be an indispensable verb in Portuguese, used constantly to express a wide range of preferences, enjoyment, and even emotional connections. Its usage extends beyond simple likes to hobbies, opinions, and social interactions.- 1Expressing General Preferences and Hobbies: This is the most common application. When you like an entire category or activity in an unspecific way.
Eu gosto de café forte.(I like strong coffee.) — A general preference for strong coffee.Maria gosta de dançar e cantar.(Maria likes to dance and sing.) — Her general hobbies.Nós gostamos de longas caminhadas na praia.(We like long walks on the beach.) — A general activity we enjoy.
- 1Referring to Specific Items or People: When your liking is directed toward a particular, identifiable object or person. This always triggers the
de+ article contraction.
Gosto do seu novo corte de cabelo.(I like your new haircut.) — Referring to a specific haircut.Eles gostam daquela casa com vista para o mar.(They like that house with the sea view.) —daquelais a contraction ofde+aquela(that, fem. sing.).Você gosta do professor de matemática?(Do you like the math teacher?) — Referring to a specific teacher.
- 1Expressing Romantic Interest (Softly): While
amar(to love) is stronger,gostar decan convey romantic interest, especially in initial stages or when being more understated. The context, tone, and duration of the relationship are key.
Eu gosto de você.(I like you / I have a crush on you.) — A classic phrase that often implies more than just platonic liking.Ele gosta dela desde o ensino médio.(He's liked her since high school.) —delaisde+ela(her).
- 1Responding to Questions of Preference:
Gostaris central to answering questions about what you enjoy.
Gostas de futebol? Sim, gosto muito de futebol.(Do you like soccer? Yes, I like soccer a lot.)Você gostou do jantar? Sim, gostei muito.(Did you like the dinner? Yes, I liked it very much.) — Note the use of the past tensegostei(I liked).
Curtir (to enjoy/to cherish) rather than Gostar. This is a more idiomatic translation for the specific action of pressing a button to show approval of a post. However, if you were to verbally express your enjoyment of a photo you saw, Eu gostei da foto (I liked the photo) would be perfectly natural and correct.When Not To Use It
gostar is versatile, there are specific situations where its use would be grammatically incorrect or semantically awkward. Knowing these helps refine your understanding and avoid common pitfalls.- 1When the Verb is Direct Transitive:
Gostarshould never be used withoutdeimmediately preceding its object. If you intend a direct relationship between the verb and its object,gostaris the wrong verb, or you are omitting the essential preposition.
- Incorrect:
Eu gosto pizza.❌ - Correct:
Eu gosto de pizza.✅ - Incorrect:
Nós gostamos o filme.❌ - Correct:
Nós gostamos do filme.✅
- 1To Express Physical Taste (of food/drink): Although
gostarimplies a preference for food, it's not typically used to describe the actual physical taste of something in the moment of consumption. For that, you would use verbs likeachar(to find) or adjectives likebom(good) orgostoso(tasty).
- Awkward/Incorrect:
Este café gosta bem.(Literally: This coffee likes well.) ❌ - Correct:
Este café está bom / gostoso.(This coffee is good / tasty.) ✅ - Correct:
Acho que o molho está delicioso.(I find that the sauce is delicious.) ✅ - You can, however, say
Eu gosto do sabor deste café(I like the flavor of this coffee) ifsabor(flavor) is the object.
- 1When Describing Something as "Pleasing" or "Appealing" to Someone (Impersonal Construction): For impersonal statements like "It pleases me" or "It's appealing to me," Portuguese often uses verbs like
agradar(to please) or a construction withfazer bem(to do good for).
- Less common:
A viagem gosta a mim.(The trip likes me.) ❌ - More natural:
A viagem agrada-me / Faz-me bem.(The trip pleases me / does me good.) ✅
- 1When "To Like" is Used as a Comparison or Filler Word (English Colloquialism): In informal English, "like" is often used as a discourse marker or for approximations (e.g., "It was, like, really good"). This usage does not translate to
gostarin Portuguese.
- Incorrect:
Foi, tipo, eu gosto, bom.❌ (This is a direct, incorrect translation attempt.) - Correct (colloquial Portuguese):
Foi tipo muito bom./Foi meio que bom.(It was, like, very good.) ✅ – usingtipoormeio quefor approximation.
Common Mistakes
gostar, primarily due to direct translation from English or a misunderstanding of its prepositional requirement and pronoun usage. Identifying and understanding these common pitfalls is key to achieving fluency.- 1The Missing
de(The Direct Object Trap): This is the most prevalent error. English "like" takes a direct object, leading learners to omitdein Portuguese.
- Error:
Eu gosto chocolate.❌ (Direct translation of "I like chocolate.") - Explanation:
Gostaris transitive indirect. It always needsdeto connect to its object. The omission makes the sentence ungrammatical. - Correction:
Eu gosto de chocolate.✅ - Error:
Nós gostamos a praia.❌ - Correction:
Nós gostamos da praia.✅ (de+a=dafor specific beach)
- 1The Pronoun Trap (Direct vs. Indirect Object Pronouns): When replacing the object of
gostarwith a pronoun, learners often try to use direct object pronouns (likeo,a,os,as) as they would in English (e.g., "I like it"). However, becausegostaris indirect, it requires prepositional pronouns (orlhe/lhesfor people in PT, though less common for objects).
- Error:
Eu gosto-o.❌ (Attempting to say "I like it" for a masculine object likeo livro) - Explanation:
Gostar derequires pronouns that follow prepositions. These are formed byde+ the personal pronoun. For "it" or "him" (non-reflexive), you usedele(de+ele),dela(de+ela),deles(de+eles),delas(de+elas). For you (formal/informal singular),de você. - Correction: (referring to
o livro)Eu gosto dele.✅ (I like it.) - (referring to
a música)Eu gosto dela.✅ (I like it.) - (referring to
você)Eu gosto de você.✅ (I like you.)
- 1The "It" Confusion (Object Omission): In English, we often explicitly state "I like it" as a full sentence. In Portuguese, if the object is clear from context, it is extremely common and natural to simply omit the pronoun or even the
de+ pronoun construction, especially in short answers.
- Question:
Você gostou da comida?(Did you like the food?) - Error:
Sim, eu gosto-a.❌ (Attempting to say "Yes, I like it.") - Awkward but technically correct:
Sim, eu gosto dela.(Yes, I like it.) - Natural and common:
Sim, eu gosto muito.✅ (Yes, I like it very much.) /Sim, gostei.✅ (Yes, I liked it.) — the object is understood.
- 1Confusing
gostarwithter gosto: Whileter gosto porcan mean "to have a liking for," it's a slightly different construction and less common for general preferences thangostar de.Ter gostoon its own usually refers to having taste (as in flavor or aesthetic).
- Error:
Eu tenho gosto para chocolate.❌ - Correct:
Eu gosto de chocolate.✅ - Correct (but less common for general liking):
Eu tenho gosto por arte.(I have a taste for art.) ✅
Memory Trick
To consistently remember the mandatory de with gostar, think of gostar as a "Velcro verb." Imagine gostar itself is the hook side of a Velcro strip. It's ready to attach, but it cannot stick directly to a smooth surface (the noun or infinitive). It needs the fuzzy loop side to make the connection. That fuzzy loop side is always, always the preposition de.
So, whenever you think "I like..." in English, immediately trigger the mental image:
- Gostar (hook) --- needs de (loop) --- to stick to the Object (surface).
If the object is general, the de stays simple (de café). If the object is specific and has an article, the de merges with that article to become a stronger, more integrated "loop" (do, da, dos, das). Just as Velcro is useless without both sides, gostar is incomplete without de (or its contractions).
Visualize it: Eu gosto 🔗 de ☕ (café). Or Eu gosto 🔗 da 🏖️ (praia). The de is the crucial link, the "sticky" part that makes the connection happen.
Real Conversations
Understanding gostar in isolation is one thing; observing its use in natural, everyday conversation is another. Here are examples showcasing gostar in various modern contexts, from casual chat to social media interactions, reflecting both Brazilian and European Portuguese nuances.
Scenario 1
- PT-BR:
- Amiga 1: E aí, o que você gosta de fazer no fim de semana? (So, what do you like to do on the weekend?)
- Amiga 2: Ah, eu gosto muito de ver séries e passear com meu cachorro. E você? (Oh, I really like watching series and walking my dog. And you?)
- Amiga 1: Eu gosto de ir à praia, mas ultimamente tenho gostado de cozinhar. (I like going to the beach, but lately I've been liking to cook.)
- PT-EU:
- Amiga 1: Então, o que gostas de fazer ao fim de semana? (So, what do you like to do on the weekend?)
- Amiga 2: Ah, gosto muito de ver séries e passear com o meu cão. E tu? (Oh, I really like watching series and walking my dog. And you?)
- Amiga 1: Gosto de ir à praia, mas ultimamente tenho gostado de cozinhar. (I like going to the beach, but lately I've been liking to cook.)
Scenario 2
- Post Caption: Aproveitando o sol na praia de Ipanema! ☀️ (Enjoying the sun at Ipanema beach!)
- Commenter 1: Que foto linda! Gosto muito da sua vibe! (What a beautiful photo! I really like your vibe!)
- Commenter 2: Demais! Sempre gostei dessa praia. (Awesome! I've always liked that beach.) — dessa = de + essa (that, fem. sing.)
Scenario 3
- PT-BR:
- Pessoa A: Você gosta de comida apimentada? (Do you like spicy food?)
- Pessoa B: Não muito, para ser sincero. Eu gosto mais de comida italiana. (Not very much, to be honest. I like Italian food more.)
- Pessoa A: Ah, eu gosto da lasanha daqui. É excelente! (Oh, I like the lasagna here. It's excellent!)
- PT-EU:
- Pessoa A: Gostas de comida picante? (Do you like spicy food?)
- Pessoa B: Não muito, para ser sincero. Gosto mais de comida italiana. (Not very much, to be honest. I like Italian food more.)
- Pessoa A: Ah, gosto da lasanha daqui. É excelente! (Oh, I like the lasagna here. It's excellent!)
Notice how the de and its contractions are consistently present, even in very casual and abbreviated responses. Native speakers integrate it naturally, and mastering this consistency is the hallmark of a fluent speaker.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
gostar and verbs like amar (to love), adorar (to adore/love), and preferir (to prefer) is crucial for accurate and idiomatic expression.- 1
Amar(To love):
- Meaning: Expresses strong love, affection, or passion. Stronger than
gostar. Used for people, pets, abstract concepts, or things you deeply cherish. - Grammar:
Amaris typically a direct transitive verb. It does not require a preposition before its object. - Formula: Subject +
amar(conjugated) + Direct Object (noun or pronoun) Eu amo chocolate.(I love chocolate.) — Direct objectchocolate.Ele ama a esposa.(He loves his wife.) — Direct objecta esposa.Nós amamos viajar.(We love to travel.) — Direct objectviajar(infinitive).- Contrast: While you
gostar dechocolate (like it), youamarchocolate (love it). The absence ofdeis the key grammatical distinction.
- 1
Adorar(To adore / To love / To really like):
- Meaning: Expresses strong liking, adoration, or enthusiasm. Often used as an emphatic alternative to
gostar, meaning "to really, really like." Can be used for people, objects, or activities. - Grammar:
Adoraris also typically a direct transitive verb. It does not require a preposition before its object. - Formula: Subject +
adorar(conjugated) + Direct Object (noun or pronoun) Eu adoro pizza.(I adore pizza / I really like pizza.) — Direct objectpizza.Ela adora o verão.(She loves summer.) — Direct objecto verão.Vocês adoram nadar?(Do you (plural) love to swim?) — Direct objectnadar(infinitive).- Contrast: Like
amar,adorarconnects directly to its object. So, youadorarsomething, butgostar desomething. The intensity is higher thangostarbut structurally identical toamarin this context.
- 1
Preferir(To prefer):
- Meaning: Expresses a choice or inclination towards one thing over another.
- Grammar:
Preferiris a direct transitive verb for the preferred item, often followed bya(to) when contrasting with another item. It takes a direct object. - Formula: Subject +
preferir(conjugated) + Direct Object (preferred item) +a+ Direct Object (less preferred item) Eu prefiro café a chá.(I prefer coffee to tea.) —caféis direct object,cháis indirect viaa.Nós preferimos sair a ficar em casa.(We prefer going out to staying home.)- Contrast:
Preferiris fundamentally different fromgostar. It does not usedewith its primary object and often involves a comparison usinga.
Gostar | To like | YES (de) | Eu gosto de música. |Amar | To love | NO | Eu amo música. |Adorar | To adore / Really like | NO | Eu adoro música. |Preferir | To prefer | NO (for primary object) | Eu prefiro música a silêncio. |gostar's prepositional requirement. While amar and adorar are often interchangeable in casual speech for strong likes, gostar remains distinct due to its mandatory de.Progressive Practice
Mastering gostar de requires consistent, structured practice that builds from simple recognition to complex application. Approach this with a focus on automaticity, ensuring the de (or its contractions) becomes an instinctual part of your speech and writing.
Start with Simple Affirmative Sentences: Begin by constructing basic "I like X" sentences, first with general nouns, then with specific ones.
- Task: List 10 things you like in general. (e.g., Eu gosto de livros., Eu gosto de viajar., Eu gosto de esportes.)
- Task: List 10 specific things you like. (e.g., Eu gosto do meu carro., Eu gosto da comida da minha mãe., Eu gosto dos sapatos novos.)
Introduce Negation: Practice expressing dislikes by adding não before the conjugated verb.
- Formula: Subject + não + gostar (conjugated) + de + Object
- Eu não gosto de frio. (I don't like cold weather.)
- Ela não gosta daquele filme. (She doesn't like that film.)
Formulate Questions: Practice asking others about their preferences, paying attention to inversion (less common in BR informal speech) or using question words.
- Você gosta de ler? (Do you like to read?)
- Eles gostam dos professores? (Do they like the teachers?)
- De que você gosta? (What do you like? / Literally: Of what do you like?)
Practice with Pronouns: This is a critical step. Replace nouns with the appropriate prepositional pronouns (dele, dela, deles, delas, de você, etc.) or use the common omission.
- Exercise: "Eu gosto do livro." -> "Eu gosto dele."
- Exercise: "Eu gosto da cidade." -> "Eu gosto dela."
- Exercise: "Você gosta da sua irmã? Sim, gosto muito." (Object omitted)
Listen and Imitate: Actively listen to native speakers in podcasts, music, and films. Pay close attention to how they use gostar de, especially the contractions and pronoun handling. Attempt to mimic their phrasing.
- Recommendation: After watching a short scene, try to rephrase dialogues using gostar based on characters' preferences.
Self-Correction Drills: Record yourself speaking sentences with gostar. Play it back and identify any instances where you omitted de or used an incorrect contraction. This active feedback loop is highly effective for internalizing the pattern.
By progressively layering these practice methods, you will build both a conscious understanding and an unconscious fluency with gostar de.
Quick FAQ
Eu gosto muito?Yes, absolutely. You can place muito (very much) or pouco (little) between the conjugated gostar and the de preposition. For example: Eu gosto muito de você. (I like you very much.) or Ela gosta pouco de cozinhar. (She doesn't like cooking much / She likes cooking little.) This emphasizes the degree of liking.
To express dislike, simply place the negation não before the conjugated form of gostar. For instance: Eu não gosto de segunda-feira. (I don't like Mondays.) Or Eles não gostam do calor. (They don't like the heat.) The de (or its contraction) remains mandatory.
gostar de?The fundamental grammar of gostar + de is identical across both major variants of Portuguese. The requirement for de and its contractions (do, da, dos, das) is universal. Differences primarily lie in the choice of subject pronoun (Tu gostas in PT vs. Você gosta in BR) and slight pronunciation variations (e.g., the final 's' sound in some conjugations).
gostar with proper nouns (names of people/places)?Yes, but remember the de. When the proper noun is typically used with an article (like o Brasil, a Maria in some contexts, or o Rio de Janeiro), the contraction applies. If it's a personal name used without an article, de is used directly.
Eu gosto do Brasil.(I like Brazil.)Nós gostamos da Maria.(We like Maria.) — In Brazilian Portuguese, it's common to useabefore female names when referring to them; thus,dais used. In European Portuguese,deis often used directly with personal names without the article:Eu gosto de Maria.Ele gosta de Portugal.(He likes Portugal.)
You can use Eu gosto disso. (I like that/it, referring to something abstract or previously mentioned) or Eu gosto disto. (I like this/it, referring to something close or immediate). Isso and isto are demonstrative pronouns. Alternatively, and very commonly in spoken Portuguese, if the context is clear, simply say Eu gosto. or Gosto. (I like it/I like.)
Conjugation of Gostar (Present Indicative)
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
gosto
|
de
|
gosto de café
|
|
Você/Ele/Ela
|
gosta
|
de
|
gosta de café
|
|
Nós
|
gostamos
|
de
|
gostamos de café
|
|
Vocês/Eles/Elas
|
gostam
|
de
|
gostam de café
|
Contractions of 'de'
| Preposition | Article | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
|
de
|
o
|
do
|
|
de
|
a
|
da
|
|
de
|
os
|
dos
|
|
de
|
as
|
das
|
Meanings
Used to express preference, affection, or enjoyment of people, things, or activities.
General Preference
Expressing that you find something pleasant.
“Eu gosto de pizza.”
“Ela gosta de ler.”
Affection
Expressing romantic or platonic love.
“Eu gosto muito de você.”
“Ele gosta da Maria.”
Negative Preference
Expressing dislike.
“Não gosto de chuva.”
“Eles não gostam de esperar.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subj + gosto + de + Obj
|
Eu gosto de música.
|
|
Negative
|
Subj + não + gosto + de + Obj
|
Eu não gosto de música.
|
|
Interrogative
|
Gosta + de + Obj + ?
|
Você gosta de música?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Sim, eu gosto.
|
Sim, eu gosto.
|
|
With Article
|
Subj + gosto + do/da + Obj
|
Eu gosto do café.
|
|
With Infinitive
|
Subj + gosto + de + Verb
|
Eu gosto de correr.
|
Formality Spectrum
Eu aprecio este livro. (Discussing literature)
Eu gosto deste livro. (Discussing literature)
Curto este livro. (Discussing literature)
Amo esse livro, cara! (Discussing literature)
The Gostar Connection
People
- do João of John
Things
- da pizza of the pizza
Actions
- de ler of reading
Gostar vs. Querer
Do I need a contraction?
Is the object a specific noun?
Examples by Level
Eu gosto de café.
I like coffee.
Você gosta de música?
Do you like music?
Ela gosta do livro.
She likes the book.
Nós gostamos de pizza.
We like pizza.
Eu não gosto de esperar.
I don't like to wait.
Eles gostam das praias do Brasil.
They like the beaches of Brazil.
Você gosta de estudar português?
Do you like studying Portuguese?
Gostamos muito da sua casa.
We like your house a lot.
Gosto de quem é honesto.
I like people who are honest.
Não gosto de que falem alto.
I don't like that they speak loudly.
Você gosta de viajar nas férias?
Do you like to travel on vacation?
Eles gostam de se divertir aos sábados.
They like to have fun on Saturdays.
O filme de que eu mais gosto é este.
The movie that I like the most is this one.
Gostaria de saber se você vem.
I would like to know if you are coming.
Não é o tipo de música de que gosto.
It's not the type of music that I like.
Gostamos da ideia de mudar de cidade.
We like the idea of moving to another city.
Gostaria que você viesse à festa.
I would like you to come to the party.
Não gosto de que me digam o que fazer.
I don't like being told what to do.
É um autor de que gosto muito.
He is an author I like very much.
Gostamos de manter as tradições vivas.
We like keeping traditions alive.
Gostaria de ter tido a oportunidade.
I would have liked to have had the opportunity.
Não é algo de que eu goste particularmente.
It is not something I particularly like.
Gostamos de quem nos respeita.
We like those who respect us.
A forma como ele gosta de trabalhar é única.
The way he likes to work is unique.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'amar' for everything, but 'amar' is very strong.
Learners use 'gostar' when they mean 'want'.
Learners forget to contract.
Common Mistakes
Eu gosto pizza
Eu gosto de pizza
Eu gosto de o café
Eu gosto do café
Eu gostam de café
Eu gosto de café
Eu gosto café
Eu gosto de café
Eu não gosto café
Eu não gosto de café
Você gosta de ler?
Você gosta de ler?
Gosto das pessoas que eu gosto de
Gosto das pessoas de quem gosto
O livro que eu gosto
O livro de que eu gosto
Gostaria de que você vem
Gostaria que você viesse
Gosto de que ele faz
Gosto do que ele faz
Gostaria de ter gostado
Gostaria de ter gostado
É algo de que eu gosto muito
É algo de que gosto muito
Gosto de quem eu gosto
Gosto de quem gosto
Sentence Patterns
Eu gosto de ___.
Eu não gosto de ___.
Você gosta de ___?
Eu gosto muito de ___.
Real World Usage
Gosto muito da sua foto!
Gosto de vc.
Gosto de trabalhar com desafios.
Gosto de comida sem cebola.
Gosto muito desta cidade.
Gosto muito de estar com você.
The Backpack Rule
Don't forget the contraction
Use 'muito' for emphasis
Regional variations
Smart Tips
Remember to contract 'de' + 'o/a'.
Add 'muito' after the verb.
Use the infinitive after 'de'.
Use 'apreciar' if you want to sound more sophisticated.
Pronunciation
Gosto
The 'o' at the end is pronounced like 'u'.
Gostamos
The 'o' is open in some dialects.
Question
Você gosta de café? ↑
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Gostar is a sticky verb; it always carries 'de' like a backpack.
Visual Association
Imagine a person trying to walk away from a backpack labeled 'DE'. No matter how fast they run, the backpack stays attached to them.
Rhyme
If you like it, don't be free, always add the letter 'de'.
Story
Maria loves coffee. She walks into a cafe and says 'Eu gosto'. The barista looks confused. Maria remembers the backpack rule and adds 'de'. Now she says 'Eu gosto de café' and gets her drink.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about things you like using 'gostar de' in 5 minutes.
Cultural Notes
In Brazil, 'gostar' is used very frequently. In informal speech, people might say 'curtir' instead of 'gostar'.
In Portugal, 'gostar' is used similarly, but the pronunciation of the final 'o' is more closed.
In Angola, 'gostar' is used in a very warm, social way to express community bonds.
Comes from the Latin 'gustare', meaning to taste.
Conversation Starters
Você gosta de café?
O que você gosta de fazer no fim de semana?
Você gosta de filmes de terror?
Você gostaria de morar em outro país?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu ___ de café.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ela gosta de o livro.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
We like music.
Answer starts with: Nós...
Eles não ___ de esperar.
Gosto ___ praia.
Use: Eu, gostar, de, cinema.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEu ___ de café.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ela gosta de o livro.
de / você / gosto / muito
We like music.
Eles não ___ de esperar.
Gosto ___ praia.
Use: Eu, gostar, de, cinema.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesEles ___ de futebol.
Eu gosto ___ Brasil. (Brazil is masculine)
Match the subject to the correct form of Gostar.
gosto / de / não / Eu / segunda-feira
I like the book.
Nós gostamos de os filmes.
Você gosta ___ estudar?
How would you ask a stranger if they like the food?
Eu ___ de chocolate.
Connect the Portuguese contraction to its components.
gostam / Eles / praia / da / muito
Do you like music? (General)
Select the sentence that likely means 'I have a crush on him'.
Score: /13
FAQ (8)
It's a preposition required by the verb 'gostar'. Think of it as 'to like of'.
No, it's grammatically incorrect in standard Portuguese.
Use 'Eu gosto de ler'. The infinitive follows 'de'.
No, 'amar' is stronger and doesn't need 'de'.
Put 'não' before the verb: 'Eu não gosto de...'.
Yes, if the next word is a definite article.
Yes, it's neutral and works in almost all contexts.
Use 'de' alone if the noun is general.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Gustar
Portuguese uses subject pronouns; Spanish uses indirect object pronouns.
Aimer
French has no preposition.
Mögen
German is a modal verb.
Suki desu
Japanese is not a verb.
Yuhibbu
Arabic does not distinguish between like and love as clearly.
Xǐhuān
Chinese has no preposition.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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