How do you say that you like something in German? | gern vs. mögen

Summary

In this video, viewers learn how to express 'liking' in German, which differs based on whether you're talking about a thing or an action. To express liking a thing, the verb 'mögen' is used, while liking an action involves adding 'gern' after a verb. The video covers examples such as 'Ich mag Fußball' (I like football) for things, and 'Ich spiele gern Fußball' (I like playing football) for actions. It explains the grammar rules clearly, providing helpful examples to distinguish between the two forms, making it easier for English speakers to grasp German sentence structures.

Takeaways

• 😀 In German, there are two ways to express 'liking': one for nouns (things) and one for verbs (actions).
• 😀 When talking about a thing (noun), the verb 'mögen' is used in German.
• 😀 When talking about an action (verb), you use 'gern' after the verb in German.
• 😀 'Mögen' is conjugated based on the subject (e.g., 'Ich mag' for 'I like').
• 😀 'Gern' means 'gladly' and is added to the verb to express liking actions in German.
• 😀 To say 'I like playing soccer' in German, you use 'Ich spiele gern Fußball'.
• 😀 To say 'I like the guitar' in German, you use 'Ich mag die Gitarre'.
• 😀 When describing liking a noun, German uses 'mögen' followed by the noun (e.g., 'Ich mag den Ball').
• 😀 For actions, German uses the verb + 'gern' (e.g., 'Ich spiele gern Tennis').
• 😀 The word 'gern' always comes after the verb to express that you enjoy the action in German.
• 😀 English uses 'like' for both nouns and actions, but German distinguishes between them by using different constructions.

Q & A

How do you express liking something in German?

In German, you express liking something differently based on whether you're referring to a thing (noun) or an action (verb). For things, you use 'Ich mag' followed by a noun. For actions, you use 'Ich spiele gern' or 'Ich spiele gerne' followed by the verb.

What is the difference between expressing liking a noun and expressing liking an action in German?

The difference lies in the verb you use. For liking a noun, you use 'Ich mag' + noun. For liking an action, you use 'Ich spiele gern' or 'Ich spiele gerne' + verb.

How do you say 'I like football' in German?

To say 'I like football' in German, you would say 'Ich mag Fußball.' This uses the verb 'mag' (to like) and the noun 'Fußball' (football).

How would you say 'I like playing football' in German?

To say 'I like playing football' in German, you would say 'Ich spiele gern Fußball.' Here, 'spielen' is the verb for 'playing,' and 'gern' (or 'gerne') means 'gladly' or 'with pleasure.'

Why is the translation of 'Ich spiele gern Fußball' in English unusual?

The translation 'Ich spiele gern Fußball' literally means 'I play gladly football,' which is unusual in English. In German, it's a normal construction to express liking an action.

What does the word 'gern' (or 'gerne') mean in German?

'Gern' or 'gerne' means 'gladly' or 'with pleasure' in German. It's added after a verb to express that you enjoy or like doing the action.

What happens to the verb 'mag' when expressing liking a thing in German?

When expressing liking a thing, 'mag' (the verb for 'like') does not change its form regardless of the subject. It is followed by the noun representing the thing you like.

How would you say 'He likes tennis' in German?

To say 'He likes tennis' in German, you would say 'Er mag Tennis.' Here, 'mag' is used because 'Tennis' is a thing, not an action.

How do you express liking doing something, such as 'You like doing your homework' in German?

To express liking doing something, like 'You like doing your homework,' in German you would say 'Du magst deine Hausaufgaben machen.' Here, 'machen' is the verb for 'doing,' and 'magst' is used because 'Hausaufgaben' (homework) is a thing.

What is the German construction for 'You like listening to music'?

To say 'You like listening to music' in German, you would say 'Du hörst gern Musik.' The verb 'hören' (to listen) is followed by 'gern' to express the liking of the action.