What I like and what I don't like
Expressing one’s tastes and personal preferences in Italian is a fascinating way to share one’s identity and connect with others.
From food to recreational activities, from personal opinions to cultural inclinations, there are many ways to communicate what excites us and makes us feel alive.
Let’s explore together the most common expressions to share what we love within the rich linguistic landscape of Italian.
Expressing one’s tastes in Italian: the verb PIACERE
The most straightforward way to express your tastes in Italian is to say: “Mi piace…”.
For students of the Italian language, the verb PIACERE often represents an interesting yet rewarding challenge. It is a peculiar verb, behaving differently from many others and requiring a deep understanding for its correct usage.
Let’s start with some examples:
The verb PIACERE is an intransitive verb, meaning a type of verb that cannot have a direct object, but whose subject behaves very similarly to a direct object.
It is important to note what the subjects of the verb PIACERE are in our examples:
IL PESCE and LE CARAMELLE are the subjects of the sentences above, even though at first glance, they might seem like direct object complements.
When studying Italian as a second language, it’s not crucial to know all the grammatical nuances, but practicing the language is key.
The ‘formulas’ that we somewhat need to remember when beginning to study the Italian language and using the verb PIACERE are:
Notice how when using the verb PIACERE, the subject is often placed at the end of the sentence, a position usually occupied by the direct object, but not always.
Expressing one’s tastes in Italian: the verb PIACERE and tonic pronouns
Another aspect to consider is the use of tonic pronouns (me, te, lui/lei, noi, voi, loro) and the verb PIACERE.
In the sentence:
The difference between the two sentences is that the second form is often used to emphasize who likes something:
Vi piacciono i gelati?
Sì, a me piacciono molto, a lui, invece, meno, preferisce qualcosa di caldo.
Note how the preposition A can also be followed by a noun, not just a stressed pronoun:
Other examples include:
A me piace la musica classica.
A lui non piacciono i film horror.
A noi piacerebbe visitare Roma.
A Giacomo piace la vita all’aria aperta.
A Maria piacciono i fiori, ma alla sorella non piacciono, è allergica al loro odore.
Expressing your tastes in Italian: the verb PIACERE + verb
The verb PIACERE can be used in combination with other verbs to express what we like to do.
Let’s start again with an example from dialogue:
Mi piace + INFINITIVE OF THE VERB
Other examples:
Mi piace mangiare fuori.
Mi piace camminare sulla sabbia.
A lei piace viaggiare da sola.
A Giovanni piace nuotare.
The negative form of the verb PIACERE
When expressing discomfort about something you don’t like, it is common to use the negative form of the verb which in Italian is done with the negative adverb NON before the verb. For example:
Other examples:
Non mi piace il caffè amaro.
Non le piace aspettare a lungo.
A Carla non piace la pioggia.
Expressing your tastes in Italian: the verb PREFER, form and use
Many verbs ending in -IRE have a particular conjugation.
In some verb tenses, it is necessary to insert the suffix -isc- before the ending to all persons of the verb except the first and second plurals.
This happens with the PRESENTE INDICATIVO.
The verb PREFERIRE is used as “normally”, like all Italian verbs, it has no particular use.
Let’s see some examples in the dialogue:
Conclusion
In conclusion, the verbs PIACERE and PREFERIRE are key elements in the Italian language, and their correct understanding significantly enriches communication skills.
Practicing and becoming familiar with the different constructions of these particular verbs will help foreign students successfully master their use in everyday conversation and help them express their tastes in Italian.
Always remember, learning a foreign language requires constant practice and patience. Being able to express one’s tastes and preferences will open doors to greater fluency and accuracy in Italian communication.