Portuguese · Everyday Verbs
"to like" in Portuguese: gostar (de)
gostar (de)
To like in Portuguese is gostar, and it almost always needs de: eu gosto de café. Key forms are eu gosto, você gosta, nós gostamos. Do not translate English like as a direct object without de.
Food preference
Eu gosto de comida apimentada.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce gostar (de)
Say it
gohs-TAHR / GOHS-too
/ɡos.ˈtaʁ/
gohs-TAHR. Eu gosto is GOHS-too; você gosta is GOHS-tah.
"to like" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| gostar de | to like Default pattern with de. | Default pattern with de. |
| eu gosto | I like First person present. | First person present. |
| você gosta | you like Questions and statements. | Questions and statements. |
| gostei | I liked Past reaction: gostei do filme. | Past reaction: gostei do filme. |
| gostoso / gostosa | tasty / attractive (slang) Related adjective family; careful with people. | Related adjective family; careful with people. |
How to use gostar (de) in real life
- 1Food preference
Eu gosto de comida apimentada.
I like spicy food.
Gosto de keeps the required de.
- 2Asking a friend
Você gosta de samba ou de rock?
Do you like samba or rock?
Você gosta de… is the question frame.
- 3After a movie
A gente gostou muito do final.
We really liked the ending.
Gostou is a past form of gostar.
Mistakes English speakers make with gostar (de)
Incorrect: Eu gosto café.
Correct: Eu gosto de café.
Gostar needs de before what you like.
Incorrect: Eu like chocolate.
Correct: Eu gosto de chocolate.
Use gostar de, not English like.
Good to know
Brazilians ask Você gosta? constantly—music, teams, neighborhoods. Soft disagreement is easy: Gosto, mas prefiro…. Strong dislike can be Não gosto nada, still without sounding harsh if your tone stays light.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking a playlist in the car
ChatPal
Você gosta de MPB no carro?
Do you like MPB in the car?
You
Gosto sim. Também gosto de podcast curto.
I do. I also like short podcasts.
ChatPal
Perfeito. Eu gosto quando a viagem passa rápido.
Perfect. I like when the trip goes by fast.
You
Então deixa eu escolher a próxima.
Then let me pick the next one.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to like" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to like" in Portuguese
Why do I need de after gostar?
That is the pattern: gostar de + noun/verb. Eu gosto de dançar.
How do I say I don't like it?
Eu não gosto or Eu não gosto disso.
Is gostei present or past?
Past: I liked it. Common right after trying food or watching something.
Gostar vs querer?
Gostar de is like. Querer is want.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
