mögen is a German verb that expresses liking or fondness. It is used when you want to say that you like something or someone. Because it is a modal verb, mögen affects the sentence structure differently than regular verbs.
- Expresses liking or fondness.
- Used for people, things, or activities.
- Is a modal verb, so it changes how sentences are formed.
*mögen* means "to like" or "to be fond of."
Conjugation of Mögen
Because mögen is a modal verb, its conjugation is slightly different from regular verbs. Here's how you conjugate mögen in the present tense:
| Person | Mögen | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mag | I like |
| du | magst | you like (sing.) |
| er/sie/es | mag | he/she/it likes |
| wir | mögen | we like |
| ihr | mögt | you like (pl.) |
| sie/Sie | mögen | they/you like (f.) |
- Present tense: only mag, magst, and mögen (for wir/sie/Sie) are used.
- The stem changes from mögen to mag for the 1st, 2nd (sing.), and 3rd person singular.
The 'ich' form of *mögen* is 'mag.'
Using Mögen with Nouns
When you use mögen with a noun, you don't need an article if the noun is plural or abstract. If the noun is singular and concrete, use the definite article.
Examples
- Ich mag Schokolade. (I like chocolate.)
- Er mag den Film. (He likes the movie.)
- Wir mögen Musik. (We like music.)
- Ihr mögt die Bücher. (You like the books.)
- Use mag/magst... for singular things you like.
- Use mögen/mögt... for plural things you like.
- Use the definite article for specific singular nouns (der, die, das).
The correct sentence is 'Ich mag Schokolade.'
Using Mögen with Verbs
To say you like doing something, use mögen + zu + infinitive, or in spoken German, just mögen + infinitive (without zu), although the latter is less common for mögen:
- Ich mag es, zu schwimmen. (I like swimming.)
- Sie mag es, Bücher zu lesen. (She likes to read books.)
Because mögen is a modal verb, you can also express liking for actions directly:
- Ich mag schwimmen. (I like to swim.)
—Note the infinitive without "zu"—this is typical for modal verbs.
- For actions, use mögen + infinitive (without "zu"): Ich mag schwimmen.
- For a softer, more formal phrase, use: Ich mag es, zu schwimmen.
'Wir mögen reisen' is the correct way to use mögen with a verb.
Conditional and Subjunctive
In the subjunctive, mögen expresses wishes or polite desires (would like): möchte (ich/er/sie/es), möchtest (du), möchten (wir/sie/Sie).
| Person | Subjunctive (would like) |
|---|---|
| ich | möchte |
| du | möchtest |
| er/sie/es | möchte |
| wir | möchten |
| ihr | möchtet |
| sie/Sie | möchten |
- To be polite, use the subjunctive form: Ich möchte... (I would like...).
Ich möchte is the subjunctive form for 'I would like.'
Conclusion
mögen is essential for expressing likes in German and behaves as a modal verb with unique conjugations and usage rules.
- Use mag/magst/mag for singular liking, mögen/mögt/mögen for plural.
- Pair with nouns directly (often without articles for plurals).
- Use infinitive constructions (mögen + verb) to express liking for actions.
- For polite or hypothetical liking, use the subjunctive forms (möchte, etc.).
*mögen* means "to like" or "to be fond of."
The correct form is 'mag' for 'ich' (I like).
'Sie mögen Musik' is correct; use 'mögen' for 'they' and no article with music as a general noun.
Use the infinitive without 'zu': Ich mag schwimmen; Wir mögen reisen.
Ich möchte is the subjunctive form for 'I would like.'