Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.

I like the chocolate cake.

Breakdown of Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.

• eu: I
• de: of
• gostar: to like
• o bolo: the cake
• do: from the
• o chocolate: the chocolate

Questions & Answers about Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.

What does gosto mean here, and why isn’t it gosta?

Gosto is the first‑person singular (I) form of the verb gostar in the present tense.

• Eu gosto = I like
• Você/Ele/Ela gosta = You/He/She likes
• Nós gostamos = We like
• Eles/Elas gostam = They like

So in Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate, gosto matches the subject Eu (I).

Why is it gosto do bolo and not just gosto bolo or gosto o bolo?

In Portuguese, gostar almost always needs the preposition de after it.

• Pattern: gostar de + thing/person

You cannot say gostar algo or gostar o bolo.
You must say gostar de algo:

• Eu gosto de chocolate. = I like chocolate.
• Eu gosto do bolo. = I like the cake.

So gosto do bolo is really gosto de + o bolo, contracted to do bolo.

What exactly does do mean in do bolo de chocolate?

Do is a contraction of:

• de + o = do

So:

• gosto do bolo = gosto de o bolo (but the separate form is not used; you must contract it)

Literally: I like of the chocolate cake → Naturally: I like the chocolate cake.

Why is there a de after bolo (in bolo de chocolate)?

Here de means “made of / with / of the type”.

Portuguese often uses noun + de + noun to express composition, flavor, or type:

• bolo de chocolate = chocolate cake (cake of chocolate)
• suco de laranja = orange juice (juice of orange)
• sanduíche de queijo = cheese sandwich (sandwich of cheese)

So bolo de chocolate is the normal way to say chocolate cake.

What is the difference between Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate and Eu gosto de bolo de chocolate?

The nuance is:

• Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.
  → I like the chocolate cake (a specific cake, one that we both know about or is in front of us).

• Eu gosto de bolo de chocolate.
  → I like chocolate cake in general (not one particular cake, but that kind of cake).

So do (de + o) makes it definite and specific; with just de + no article, it’s general.

How do I know it’s do bolo and not da bolo?

Because bolo is a masculine noun in Portuguese.

• Masculine singular article: o → de + o = do
• Feminine singular article: a → de + a = da

Examples:

• do bolo (masc.) = of the cake
• da torta (fem.) = of the pie

You learn the gender with the noun: o bolo, a torta, o pão, a fruta, etc.

Is it necessary to say Eu, or can I just say Gosto do bolo de chocolate?

You can omit Eu. The verb ending -o in gosto already tells us the subject is I.

• Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.
• Gosto do bolo de chocolate.

Both are correct and natural. In everyday speech, Brazilians often drop eu when the subject is clear from the verb form or context.

How would I say “I like chocolate cake” in general, not a specific cake?

Use gostar de without the definite article:

• Eu gosto de bolo de chocolate.
  or simply
• Gosto de bolo de chocolate.

That means you like chocolate cake as a type of food, not just one particular cake.

How would I say “I really like the chocolate cake”?

Add muito after the verb gostar:

• Eu gosto muito do bolo de chocolate.
  = I really like the chocolate cake / I like the chocolate cake a lot.

If you put muito after bolo (do bolo muito), it sounds wrong here. The usual, natural place is after the verb: gosto muito.

Can I say Eu estou gostando do bolo de chocolate? What’s the difference?

You can, but the meaning changes slightly.

• Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate.
  → General, stable preference: I (generally) like the chocolate cake.

• Eu estou gostando do bolo de chocolate.
  → More temporary / in this moment: I’m enjoying this chocolate cake (right now).
  It can also suggest a liking that is developing over time.

For normal statements of taste, Eu gosto… is the default.

How do you pronounce Eu gosto do bolo de chocolate in Brazilian Portuguese?

Approximate pronunciation (Brazilian):

• Eu → like “eh-oo” or a quick “eo”
• gosto → GÓS-toh (first syllable stressed, like “GOSS-toh”)
• do → sounds like “du”
• bolo → BOH-loo (BOH‑lo)
• de → usually like “jee” before a consonant in Brazil
• chocolate → sho-co-LA-chee (stress on LA, final te like “chee”)

Spoken smoothly: “Eu GÓS-to du BOH-lo je sho-co-LA-chee.”