How to Use Gostar de in Portuguese: Say What You Like — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Keep de after gostar
Gostar means “to like,” and Portuguese normally uses it with the preposition de: gostar de café, gostar de música. English speakers sometimes omit de because English does not put “of” after “like.” Learn gostar de as one expression.
When a noun follows de, the preposition may contract with an article: gostar do filme (to like the movie), gostar da música (to like the music). The contraction depends on the noun phrase, not on a different meaning of gostar.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Eu gosto de café. | I like coffee. |
| Ela gosta da música. | She likes the music. |
| A gente gosta do bairro. | We like the neighborhood. |
Change the verb to match the subject
In the present tense, gostar changes with the subject: eu gosto, você gosta, ele/ela gosta, nós gostamos, vocês gostam, eles/elas gostam. In everyday Brazilian conversation, a gente gosta is a very common way to say “we like.”
The noun after de does not control the verb ending. Compare Ela gosta de filmes and Eles gostam de filmes: the subject changes, so gostar changes, even though the object remains filmes.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Eu gosto de caminhar. | I like walking. |
| Nós gostamos de viajar. | We like to travel. |
| Vocês gostam deste restaurante? | Do you all like this restaurant? |
Use the infinitive when you like doing an activity
If you like an activity, put the infinitive after de: gosto de ler (I like to read), gosta de cozinhar (he/she likes to cook). The second verb stays in its dictionary form because gostar carries the subject and tense information.
You can use a noun or an infinitive after gostar de. Keep de in both patterns: gostar de filmes and gostar de assistir a filmes. Learn common expressions in complete phrases so the grammar and vocabulary stay connected.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Ela gosta de cozinhar para os amigos. | She likes cooking for friends. |
| Eu gosto de aprender idiomas. | I like learning languages. |
| Eles gostam de ouvir música no carro. | They like listening to music in the car. |
Make a negative or stronger opinion
Put não before gostar to say you do not like something: não gosto de, não gosta de. To say you love something, gostar muito de is common. Preferir (to prefer) gives you a useful way to compare two choices.
Real Life Portuguese gives you native audio for everyday opinions. Use it to hear verb endings, then ask an I Speak Portuguese teacher to correct a few sentences about your real interests.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Não gosto de acordar cedo. | I don’t like waking up early. |
| Ela gosta muito de praia. | She really likes the beach. |
| Prefiro chá, mas gosto de café também. | I prefer tea, but I like coffee too. |
Remember: Write two true sentences with gosto de + noun and two with gosto de + infinitive. Change one sentence to a negative, then ask someone what they like using Você gosta de…?
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
I like coffee.
Show a Portuguese answer
Eu gosto de café.
She likes the music.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela gosta da música.
We like the neighborhood.
Show a Portuguese answer
A gente gosta do bairro.
I like walking.
Show a Portuguese answer
Eu gosto de caminhar.
We like to travel.
Show a Portuguese answer
Nós gostamos de viajar.
Do you all like this restaurant?
Show a Portuguese answer
Vocês gostam deste restaurante?
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Write two true sentences with gosto de + noun and two with gosto de + infinitive. Change one sentence to a negative, then ask someone what they like using Você gosta de…?
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our How to Use Gostar de in Portuguese: Say What You Like lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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