mögen
/ˈmøːɡən/
To like in German is mögen.
The verb mögen is used to express that you find someone or something pleasant or attractive, often referring to general preferences or tastes.
Which one should you use?
While mögen is the standard verb for expressing likes, you may encounter the colloquial phrase gern haben, which is used more frequently in a personal or colloquial context when talking about people or things.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third person singular form of mögen is mag, and the simple past form is mochte.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmøːɡən/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the verb lieben (to love) when you simply mean mögen (to like), as English speakers often make this mistake.
Did you know?
- While mögen expresses a general liking, Germans often use the adverb gern with a different verb to express liking a specific activity. For example, instead of saying they like to swim, they say they swim 'gladly'.
- Until the 17th century, mögen primarily meant 'to be able to'. The meaning shifted to 'to like' after the phrase nicht mögen began to describe a lack of desire rather than a lack of ability.
- The spelling of mögen contains an umlaut that exists because the word was once closely related to the verb 'können', meaning 'to be able to'.
Examples in context
- Er wird es mögen.He will like it.This sentence shows the use of mögen in the future tense.Tatoeba #8842401 by wolfgangth, translation #2855992 by Amastan
- Du wirst es mögen.You'll like it.Tatoeba #3532300 by freddy1, translation #2255372 by CK
- Tom wird es mögen.Tom is going to like it.Tatoeba #6625140 by Felixjp, translation #4666561 by CK
- Ich mag Ihren Vorschlag.I like your suggestion.
- Das Bild gefällt mir sehr gut.I really like the painting.
- Ich mag dieses Lied.I like this song.
- Ich stehe auf deinen Freund.I have a crush on your friend.
- Ich mag Fußball.I like football.
- Ich mag dich.I like you.
- Mir gefällt die Idee.I like the idea.
- Ich mag dieses Restaurant.I like this restaurant.
- Mir gefällt dein neues Auto.I like your new car.
- Ich stehe auf Horrorfilme.I like horror movies.
- Ich kann mich für Fußball begeistern.I'm passionate about football.
- 662 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are talking about a new restaurant.
- FelixMagst du italienisches Essen?Do you like Italian food?
- SarahJa, ich mögen Pasta sehr gerne.Yes, I like pasta very much.
- FelixIch finde dieses Restaurant toll.I think this restaurant is great.
- SarahIch glaube, du wirst es mögen.I think you will like it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mögen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mögen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
