ti piace
The English phrase "do you like" is translated into Italian as ti piace.
If you want to ask if someone feels like doing a particular activity or if they want to do something, you can use the informal phrase ti va.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ti piace literally means 'it is pleasing to you'.
Which one should you use?
You must use the form ti piacciono when asking if someone likes multiple things.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to a stranger or in a formal context, use Le piace instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Campania region, particularly in Naples, the phrase Te piace… is often used instead of ti piace.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use ti piacciono if the thing being liked is plural, such as in the question Ti piacciono i libri? (Do you like books?).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to say Io piace to mean "I like".
Did you know?
- The pronoun ti actually evolved from the Latin dative form tibi, which specifically indicates that something is being done 'for' or 'to' you.
- If you are asking if someone likes a specific activity, you can use ti va, which literally translates to 'it goes to you'. This is used to gauge a person's current mood or desire rather than a general preference.
- Because piace acts like the verb 'to be pleasing', you cannot use Io (I) as the subject. To say 'I like', you must use the indirect object Mi piace, which literally means 'it pleases me'.
Examples in context
- Ti piace il tè?Do you like tea?Tatoeba #1098232 by Guybrush88, translation #1098230 by cntrational
- Ti piace il rap?Do you like rap?Tatoeba #4543 by Guybrush88, translation #2310 by CK
- Ti piace la Cina?Do you like China?Tatoeba #1020311 by Guybrush88, translation #1020310 by CN
- Ti piace il cinema?Do you like going to the cinema?
- Ti piace la musica classica?Do you like classical music?
- Ti va di andare al mare?Do you feel like going to the beach?
- Ti va di mangiare una pizza?Do you feel like eating pizza?
- Ti piacciono i libri?Do you like books?
- Ti piacciono i cani?Do you like dogs?
- Te piace 'o cappuccino?Do you like cappuccino?
- 410 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking through a park in the afternoon.
- MartinaTi piace questo parco?Do you like this park?
- FrancescoSì, è molto bello.Yes, it is very beautiful.
- MartinaTi piace anche il silenzio qui?Do you also like the silence here?
- FrancescoSì, mi piace molto.Yes, I like it a lot.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
