Learn Italian: Ci piacciono molto le patatine e le caramelle. - We like potato chips and candies a lot.

Ci piacciono molto le patatine e le caramelle.

We like potato chips and candies a lot.

Breakdown of Ci piacciono molto le patatine e le caramelle.

Questions & Answers about Ci piacciono molto le patatine e le caramelle.

Why is the verb piacciono plural if 'we' are the ones doing the liking?

In Italian, the verb piacere works backwards compared to English. Instead of saying 'we like chips', you are literally saying 'chips are pleasing to us'. Since the things being liked (le patatine e le caramelle) are plural, the verb must be in the 'they' form: piacciono.

What does ci mean in this sentence?

Ci is a pronoun that means 'to us'. It tells us who the chips and candies are pleasing to! If you wanted to say 'I like', you would change it to mi piacciono.

Why are there 'the' words (le) before patatine and caramelle? English just says 'We like chips'.

In Italian, when you talk about liking a broad category of things (like chips or candies in general), you must always include the definite article (the 'the' word). Since both patatine and caramelle are feminine plural nouns, they use le.

Why does molto come right after the verb instead of at the end of the sentence?

In Italian, adverbs like molto (a lot / very much) usually go directly after the verb they are describing. So it is Ci piacciono molto... rather than putting it at the very end of the sentence like we do in English.