mi piace leggere
In Italian, "I like to read" is said as mi piace leggere.
This phrase is used to express that someone enjoys the activity of reading.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "to me it is pleasing to read".
How does it change in a sentence?
In this construction, the verb piacere functions differently than the English "to like". The subject of the sentence is actually the activity of reading, rather than the person who enjoys it.
Did you know?
- The English word 'collect' and the Italian verb leggere both trace back to the same Latin root, legere, which originally meant 'to gather' or 'to collect'.
- If you want to say you like reading specific books, the structure changes to mi piacciono i libri, where the verb must become plural to match the books.
- The word leggere is a 'cognate' of the English word 'legend', as both stem from the Latin concept of 'things to be read'.
Examples in context
- Mi piace leggere libri in biblioteca.I like to read books at the library.This sentence shows how to use mi piace leggere when mentioning reading books at a library.Tatoeba #13312994 by Guybrush88, translation #11330545 by chaule3
- Mi piace leggere prima di andare a letto.I like to read before I go to bed.This sentence shows how to use mi piace leggere in the context of reading before going to bed.Tatoeba #719333 by Guybrush88, translation #719332 by CM
- Mi piace leggere prima di andare a dormire.I like to read before going to sleep.This sentence shows how to use mi piace leggere in the context of reading before going to sleep.Tatoeba #3485141 by Guybrush88, translation #3259285 by CK
- Mi piace leggere un sacco, soprattutto fantasy.I really like to read a lot, especially fantasy.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are talking about their hobbies in a cafe.
- AlessandroCosa fai nel tuo tempo libero?What do you do in your free time?
- ChiaraMi piace leggere molto.I like to read a lot.
- AlessandroDavvero? Anche a me piace leggere.Really? I like to read too.
- ChiaraChe bello, Alessandro!That's great, Alessandro!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leggere, mi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
