Ich mag Fußball
The English phrase "I like football" can be expressed in German as Ich mag Fußball.
Ich mag Fußball is used to express a general fondness or preference for the sport of football.
Which one should you use?
Ich mag Fußball echt gern is an informal way to say "I really like football", Ich stehe total auf Fußball is an informal way to say "I'm really into football" and Fußball ist total mein Ding is an informal way to say "Football is totally my thing".
Did you know?
- If you were talking about American football, you would likely use the English loanword Football instead of the German word Fußball to avoid confusion.
- The word Fußball is actually a 'calque', meaning it is a direct word-for-word translation of the English 'football' into German.
- While Ich mag Fußball is correct, a native speaker might say Ich stehe auf Fußball, using a preposition that literally means 'standing on'.
Examples in context
- Ich mag Fußball am liebsten.I like football the most.This sentence is useful for expressing that football is your favorite thing.Tatoeba #754159 by al_ex_an_der, translation #10683539 by sundown
- Ich mag Fußball.I like football.This sentence is useful for a basic statement of preference.Tatoeba #7355744 by felix63, translation #858100 by miravalles
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are discussing their favorite sports.
- SarahWelchen Sport magst du, Felix?Which sport do you like, Felix?
- FelixIch mag Fußball sehr.I like football a lot.
- SarahIch mag Fußball auch!I like football too!
- FelixWollen wir zusammen ein Spiel sehen?Do we want to watch a game together?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Fußball, Ich, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
