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Mi piace guardare la città così.

Mi piace guardare la città così.
I like to look at the city like this.
FromLesson 2inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Mi piace guardare la città così.

io
I
la città
the city
piacere
to like
così
this way
guardare
to look at

Questions & Answers about Mi piace guardare la città così.

Why does the verb appear as piace instead of piacciono?
In Italian, mi piace is used when referring to a singular thing or an activity you like (for example, mi piace guardare, meaning you like to watch something). If you were talking about multiple things you like, you would use mi piacciono instead. Here, since you’re talking about the singular action of watching the city, the verb stays in the third-person singular form: piace.
What is the function of mi in mi piace?
The mi is an indirect object pronoun (meaning to me). In Italian, it makes the sentence read literally as “It is pleasing to me to watch the city.” That’s why you say mi piace rather than something closer to an English “I like.”
How do I know to use guardare instead of another verb like vedere?
Guardare means “to watch” or “to look at” something more actively, while vedere is “to see,” which can be more passive. Since the sentence involves actively looking at the city in a particular way, guardare is the natural choice.
What does così convey in this sentence?
Così can mean “like this,” “in this way,” or “thus.” In the sentence, it emphasizes the manner of watching the city. It suggests there’s a specific viewpoint or mood you have in mind, so you enjoy looking at it that particular way.
Can I say A me piace instead of Mi piace?
Yes. A me piace explicitly emphasizes to me, and is perfectly correct. However, mi piace is more common and flows more naturally in everyday speech. Both forms mean exactly the same thing in this context.
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