Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| μου αρέσεις | mou aréseis | informal |
| μου αρέσετε | mou arésete | formal, plural |
While it can be used in a platonic or aesthetic sense, it is often used as a way to express romantic interest or attraction.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally constructed as 'to me you are pleasing'.
Which one should you use?
The form μου αρέσεις is used when addressing one person informally, whereas μου αρέσετε is used for a single person formally or for a group of people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
μου αρέσεις is a friendly way to say 'I like you'. In contrast, μου αρέσετε is a polite way to say 'I like you' in Greek.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I like it' (referring to a thing or a situation), the verb changes to the singular form μου αρέσει.
How do you pronounce it?
mou aréseis
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to translate 'I like you' directly as Σε αρέσω, but the Greek verb αρέσω requires the dative case (μου) rather than the accusative (σε).
Did you know?
- The structure of μου αρέσεις is similar to the Spanish 'me gustas'. In both languages, the person being liked is technically the subject of the sentence, not the object.
- While μου αρέσεις expresses attraction, Greeks use the verb αγαπώ for 'I love you'. The latter is much more intense and is typically reserved for family or serious romantic partners.
- The word μου in μου αρέσεις is a descendant of the Ancient Greek possessive pronoun used to indicate the person affected by the action.
Examples in context
- Μου αρέσεις.I like you.This sentence demonstrates the basic use of μου αρέσεις.Tatoeba #5466062 by Zeus, translation #410751 by CK
- Μου αρέσεις πολύ.I like you very much.This sentence shows how to add emphasis using the form μου αρέσεις.Tatoeba #8892716 by Objectivesea, translation #257095 by CK
- Εσείς μου αρέσετε πολύ.I like you a lot.
- Σε συμπαθώ τόσο πολύ.I like you so much.
- Μου αρέσεις πολύ ως άνθρωπος.Mou aresis poli os anthropos.I like you a lot as a person.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their growing feelings for each other.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΘέλω να σου πω κάτι.Thelo na sou po kati.I want to tell you something.
- Νίκος NikosΤι θέλεις να μου πεις;Ti thelis na mou peis;What do you want to tell me?
- Κυριακή KyriakiΜου αρέσεις πολύ, Νίκο.Mou aresis poli, Niko.I like you a lot, Nikos.
- Νίκος NikosΚι εσύ μου αρέσεις πολύ, Κυριακή.Ki esi mou aresis poli, Kyriaki.And I like you a lot, Kyriaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries μου, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
