Expressing plural likes
Because piacere literally means "to be pleasing to," the verb changes based on what is pleasing, not who is liking it.
When you like a plural noun—like a group of books, snacks, or animals—use the plural form piacciono (they please).
| I like cookies. | Mi piacciono i biscotti. |
Notice how the verb changes from piace to piacciono depending on whether the noun is singular or plural:
| I like ice cream, but I do not like cookies. | Mi piace il gelato, ma non mi piacciono i biscotti. |
Talking about other people
So far, you have used mi (to me). To express what other people like, change the indirect object pronoun:
| Pronoun | Literal meaning | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| mi | to me | I like |
| ti | to you (singular) | you like |
| gli | to him | he likes |
| le | to her | she likes |
| ci | to us | we like |
| vi | to you (plural) | you all like |
| Do you like these candies? | Ti piacciono queste caramelle? |
| We like potato chips and candies a lot. | Ci piacciono molto le patatine e le caramelle. |
| She likes horses, but she is afraid of snakes. | Le piacciono i cavalli, ma ha paura dei serpenti. |
Specifying who likes something
If you want to state exactly who likes something by using their name, a noun, or the pronoun "them" (loro), use the preposition a (to).
- A Marco piacciono... (Marco likes...)
- A loro piacciono... (They like...)
- A tua madre piacciono... (Your mother likes...)
| Marco likes comic books, but he prefers movies. | A Marco piacciono i fumetti, ma preferisce i film. |
| Do they like these American actors? | A loro piacciono questi attori americani? |
Remember that if the noun uses a definite article, the preposition a combines with it. For example, a + i becomes ai (ai bambini = to the children).
| The children like fun games. | Ai bambini piacciono i giochi divertenti. |
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