Eu gosto de ler sobre música no jornal.

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Questions & Answers about Eu gosto de ler sobre música no jornal.

Why do we say gosto de and not just gosto?

In Portuguese, gostar almost always comes with the preposition de when you say what you like.
The basic pattern is:

  • gostar de + noun: Eu gosto de música. = I like music.
  • gostar de + verb (infinitive): Eu gosto de ler. = I like to read.

So Eu gosto de ler literally is I like of reading, but in English we just say I like to read or I like reading.

Why is it ler (to read) and not leio (I read) after gosto de?

After gostar de, you use the infinitive form of the verb, not a conjugated form.
So you say:

  • Eu gosto de ler. (I like to read.)
  • Ele gosta de correr. (He likes to run.)

Using leio after gosto de (gosto de leio) is incorrect.
Think of it like English: you say I like to read, not I like I read.

Can I drop Eu and just say Gosto de ler sobre música no jornal?

Yes. Portuguese is a “null subject” language, so you can omit the subject pronoun when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
Gosto de ler sobre música no jornal is completely natural and means the same thing.
Including Eu just makes it a bit more explicit or emphatic.

What exactly does sobre música mean here? Could I say de música instead?

Sobre música means about music or on the subject of music.
With ler, the most natural preposition for this meaning is sobre:

  • ler sobre música = read about music

Ler de música is not idiomatic in this context.
You might see de música in other structures, like:

  • livros de música (music books / books about music)
  • aula de música (music class)
Why is there no before jornal? What does no mean?

No is a contraction of em + o:

  • em = in / on / at
  • o = the (masculine singular article)

So:

  • em + o = nono jornal = in the newspaper

Similarly:

  • em + a = nana revista = in the magazine
Does no jornal mean “in the newspaper” in general, or a specific newspaper?

It can mean either, depending on context.
Very often, no jornal is understood as in the newspaper (in general, as a medium), not necessarily one specific physical paper.
If you wanted to be clearly general, you could also say em jornais (in newspapers), but no jornal is perfectly natural to express a general habit.

Why does música have no article, but jornal has no (em + o)?

Música here is being used in a general, abstract sense: music as a field or topic.
In that case, Portuguese often omits the article:

  • Gosto de música. (I like music.)

Jornal is a concrete object or medium (the newspaper), so it usually takes an article:

  • no jornal = in the newspaper
  • no jornal de hoje = in today’s newspaper

So the mixture sobre música no jornal is normal: general topic (no article) + specific medium (with article).

Can I change the word order, like Eu gosto de ler no jornal sobre música?

Yes, Eu gosto de ler no jornal sobre música is grammatically correct and understandable.
The original order, ler sobre música no jornal, is more common and slightly clearer: first you say what you read about (sobre música), then where (no jornal).
Changing the order doesn’t change the basic meaning, but the original sentence flows more naturally.

Does Eu gosto de ler… mean I like it generally, or that I’m liking it right now?

Eu gosto de ler… normally expresses a general preference or habit, like I like reading… in English.
Portuguese does not use estou gostando as commonly as English uses I’m liking; it’s possible but much less frequent.
So this sentence is about your general taste, not just a temporary feeling.

How would I say “I don’t like to read about music in the newspaper”?

You just add não before the verb:

  • Eu não gosto de ler sobre música no jornal.
  • Or, omitting the pronoun: Não gosto de ler sobre música no jornal.

The structure stays the same; only não is added.

If I want to say “I like to read about songs” instead of “about music”, is it sobre músicas?

Yes, you can say:

  • Eu gosto de ler sobre músicas no jornal.

But there is a nuance:

  • sobre música = about music in general (the art form, the topic)
  • sobre músicas = about specific songs (individual tracks)

Both are correct; you choose based on what you mean.

Is Eu gosto de ler sobre música no jornal formal or informal?

It’s neutral and works in both spoken and written Portuguese.
You could say this in everyday conversation, in a message, or even in a simple written text without any problem.