In German, two key verbs express liking: mögen and gefallen. While both convey positive feelings, their grammar and usage differ significantly:
- Mögen: Directly expresses liking. Used for people, things, activities.
- Gefallen: Means "to please" and uses an opposite structure; the liked thing is the subject, not the person.
Understanding these differences helps avoid common errors and deepens your mastery of German expression.
**mögen** and **gefallen** are the key verbs for 'to like'.
'gefallen' has a different structure from 'mögen'.
'mögen' expresses liking directly; 'gefallen' means 'to please' and uses an opposite construction.
Mögen: Expressing Likes Directly
Mögen is a core verb for liking and works with people, things, and even ideas. It’s a modal-like verb in usage and often appears as "mag" in the present tense for “I like.”
Typical usage:
- Ich mag Schokolade. (I like chocolate.)
- Wir mögen Musik. (We like music.)
- Magst du Kaffee? (Do you like coffee?)
Conjugation (Present Tense)
| Person | Verb |
|---|---|
| Ich | mag |
| Du | magst |
| Er/Sie/Es | mag |
| Wir | mögen |
| Ihr | mögt |
| Sie/sie | mögen |
'mögen' is used for liking people, things, and activities.
The root form for liking is 'mögen'.
Gefallen: When Things Please You
Gefallen is used when “the thing” does the pleasing. The structure is reversed: the thing liked is the subject, and the person receiving the “like” is an indirect object.
Typical usage:
- Das Buch gefällt mir. (The book pleases me / I like the book.)
- Gefallen dir die Filme? (Do the movies please you / Do you like the movies?)
- Die Musik gefällt uns. (The music pleases us / We like the music.)
Grammar Focus
- Subject = thing that pleases
- Person who likes = indirect object (dative)
Conjugation (Present Tense)
| Person | Verb (stem + ending) |
|---|---|
| Ich | Gefällt (exception) |
| Du | Gefällt (with dative) |
| Er/Sie/Es | Gefällt |
| Wir | Gefallen |
| Ihr | Gefallen |
| Sie/sie | Gefallen |
Dative Pronouns:
- mir (to me)
- dir (to you)
- ihm/ihr/ihm (to him/her/it)
- uns (to us)
- euch (to you all)
- ihnen/Ihnen (to them/you formal)
'gefallen' treats the liked thing as the subject and uses dative for the person.
'gefallen' requires the dative case for the person who likes.
Dative pronouns include mir, dir, uns.
Conclusion
Both mögen and gefallen express liking, but with different perspectives and grammar. Mögen is straightforward liking (subject = person), while gefallen is “to please” (subject = thing, person in dative).
- Use mögen when the person is the subject who likes.
- Use gefallen when the thing is the subject that pleases.
- Master both for nuanced and correct expression of “liking” in German!
'mögen' is used when the person expressing the like is the subject.
'gefallen' is used when the thing that pleases is the subject, often for objects or abstract things.
'gefallen' requires the dative case for the person who experiences the liking.