Expressing Likes with μου αρέσει in Greek

In Brief

Greek usually expresses “I like” as μου αρέσει with one thing or an action, and μου αρέσουν with several things. The structure works more like “it pleases me” than English “I like it”: the thing liked is the subject, so it controls whether the verb is singular or plural.

Overview

Μου αρέσει is one of the most useful ways to talk about tastes and preferences in Greek. You can use it for food, places, people, activities, music, and almost anything else: Μου αρέσει η Αθήνα (“I like Athens”), Μου αρέσουν οι ταινίες (“I like films”), and Μου αρέσει να μαγειρεύω (“I like cooking”). It is an essential A1 pattern.

The main challenge for an English speaker is that Greek organizes the sentence differently. In English, the person who has the preference is the subject: I like coffee. In Greek, coffee is the subject (the person or thing that controls the verb), while μου means “to me.” A fairly literal reading of Μου αρέσει ο καφές is “Coffee is pleasing to me.”

This difference affects verb agreement. Αρέσει is third-person singular and goes with one thing, a singular idea, or an activity. Αρέσουν is third-person plural and goes with plural things. Once you focus on what is liked—not on who likes it—the pattern becomes much easier.

How It Works

The basic pattern

The most common sentence pattern is:

indirect object pronoun + αρέσει/αρέσουν + thing liked

An indirect object pronoun is a short word showing who receives or experiences something. Here, it identifies the person whose preference is being described.

Person who likes something	Greek pronoun	Meaning in this pattern
I	μου	to me
you (singular, informal)	σου	to you
he	του	to him
she	της	to her
we	μας	to us
you (plural or polite)	σας	to you
they	τους	to them

The pronoun normally comes immediately before the verb:

• Μου αρέσει η μουσική. — I like music.
• Της αρέσουν τα ταξίδια. — She likes travelling/trips.
• Σας αρέσει το φαγητό; — Do you like the food?

Greek does not need a separate word equivalent to English “do” to form this question. The word order can stay the same; speech intonation and the question mark show that it is a question. Notice that the Greek question mark is ;, not ?.

Choosing αρέσει or αρέσουν

The verb agrees with the grammatical subject—the thing liked.

What is liked	Verb	Example
one thing or a singular noun	αρέσει	Μου αρέσει η ταινία.
a mass or general idea treated as singular	αρέσει	Μου αρέσει η μουσική.
an activity introduced by να	αρέσει	Μου αρέσει να περπατάω.
several things or a plural noun	αρέσουν	Μου αρέσουν οι ταινίες.

The article often makes the number visible. Ο καφές (“coffee”) is singular, so use αρέσει. Τα βιβλία (“books”) is plural, so use αρέσουν.

Compare:

• Μου αρέσει το βιβλίο. — I like the book.
• Μου αρέσουν τα βιβλία. — I like books/the books.

The person does not control this choice. Both μου (“to me”) and τους (“to them”) can be followed by either form:

• Μου αρέσει το νησί. — I like the island.
• Τους αρέσει το νησί. — They like the island.
• Μου αρέσουν τα νησιά. — I like the islands.
• Τους αρέσουν τα νησιά. — They like the islands.

Liking an activity

To say that you like doing something, use μου αρέσει να + verb. The να-clause (a group of words beginning with να and a verb) represents one activity or idea, so αρέσει remains singular.

• Μου αρέσει να διαβάζω. — I like reading.
• Μας αρέσει να ταξιδεύουμε. — We like travelling.
• Σου αρέσει να μαγειρεύεις; — Do you like cooking?

English can use either “I like reading” or “I like to read.” Modern Greek normally uses a finite verb after να: its ending changes to match the person doing the activity. In Μου αρέσει να διαβάζω, διαβάζω means that I read. In Του αρέσει να διαβάζει, διαβάζει means that he reads.

Negatives

Put δεν before the pronoun and verb:

δεν + pronoun + αρέσει/αρέσουν

• Δεν μου αρέσει ο καφές. — I do not like coffee.
• Δεν της αρέσουν τα ψάρια. — She does not like fish.
• Δεν μας αρέσει να περιμένουμε. — We do not like waiting.

If the thing is obvious from the conversation, it can be omitted: Δεν μου αρέσει means “I don’t like it.” The singular form treats the understood thing or situation as one idea.

Questions and short answers

A yes/no question generally keeps the same structure:

• Σου αρέσει η Ελλάδα; — Do you like Greece?
• Σας αρέσουν αυτά τα παπούτσια; — Do you like these shoes?

Natural short answers repeat the useful part of the expression:

• Ναι, μου αρέσει πολύ. — Yes, I like it a lot.
• Ναι, μου αρέσουν. — Yes, I like them.
• Όχι, δεν μου αρέσει. — No, I do not like it.
• Όχι και τόσο. — Not that much.

Talking about people

The same grammar can describe attraction or liking a person. The person liked still controls the verb:

• Μου αρέσει η Μαρία. — I like Maria / I am attracted to Maria.
• Μου αρέσεις. — I like you.
• Του αρέσω. — He likes me.

This can carry a romantic meaning depending on context. If you only mean that someone is pleasant or likeable, context or a more specific description may be safer.

Examples in Context

Greek	English	Note
Μου αρέσει ο καφές.	I like coffee.	Singular thing liked
Μου αρέσουν τα βιβλία.	I like books.	Plural thing liked
Σου αρέσει η Ελλάδα;	Do you like Greece?	Informal singular question
Δεν μου αρέσει.	I don’t like it.	The thing is understood
Της αρέσει πολύ αυτή η ταινία.	She likes this film a lot.	Της identifies the person
Του αρέσουν τα ελληνικά τραγούδια.	He likes Greek songs.	Plural subject takes αρέσουν
Μας αρέσει να τρώμε έξω.	We like eating out.	Activity with να
Σας αρέσει το κρασί;	Do you like the wine?	Polite or plural “you”
Δεν τους αρέσουν οι μεγάλες πόλεις.	They don’t like big cities.	Negative plus plural agreement
Μου αρέσει αυτό, αλλά όχι εκείνο.	I like this, but not that.	Contrasting two choices
Σου αρέσουν αυτά τα παπούτσια;	Do you like these shoes?	Demonstrative and plural noun
Μου αρέσεις πολύ.	I like you a lot.	Often personal or romantic
Τι μουσική σου αρέσει;	What music do you like?	Question about a category
Ποια βιβλία σου αρέσουν;	Which books do you like?	Plural question word and verb
Πώς σου αρέσει ο καφές;	How do you like your coffee?	Asks about the preferred way

Common Mistakes

Making the verb agree with the person

• Wrong: Μου αρέσουν ο καφές.
• Right: Μου αρέσει ο καφές.
• Why: Ο καφές is singular. The thing liked controls the verb; μου does not.

Using αρέσει with a plural noun

• Wrong: Μου αρέσει τα βιβλία.
• Right: Μου αρέσουν τα βιβλία.
• Why: Τα βιβλία is plural, so the verb must be αρέσουν.

Copying English subject structure

• Wrong: Εγώ αρέσει ο καφές.
• Right: Μου αρέσει ο καφές.
• Why: Greek marks the experiencer as “to me” with μου. Εγώ means “I” as a subject and cannot replace μου here.

Putting δεν in the wrong place

• Wrong: Μου δεν αρέσει.
• Right: Δεν μου αρέσει.
• Why: In a normal negative sentence, δεν comes before the unstressed pronoun and verb.

Using αρέσουν for several activities

• Wrong: Μου αρέσουν να διαβάζω και να γράφω.
• Right: Μου αρέσει να διαβάζω και να γράφω.
• Why: The coordinated activities are commonly presented as one overall preference through a να-clause, so singular αρέσει is the normal beginner pattern.

Forgetting who performs the activity after να

• Wrong: Του αρέσει να διαβάζω. (when you mean “He likes reading”)
• Right: Του αρέσει να διαβάζει.
• Why: Του says who has the preference, while the ending of διαβάζει says who reads. These normally refer to the same person in this meaning.

Usage Notes

Πολύ (“a lot”) is a common way to strengthen a positive preference: Μου αρέσει πολύ. For a weaker opinion, use Μου αρέσει λίγο (“I like it a little”) or Δεν μου αρέσει και τόσο (“I don’t like it that much”). A stronger negative is Δεν μου αρέσει καθόλου (“I don’t like it at all”).

Σας is useful in two situations: when speaking to more than one person and when addressing one person politely. Σας αρέσει η Αθήνα; can therefore mean “Do you all like Athens?” or polite singular “Do you like Athens?” Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Greek often places the thing liked after the verb, as in Μου αρέσει η μουσική. It can move to the front when it is already the topic or when you want contrast: Η μουσική μού αρέσει, αλλά οι στίχοι όχι (“I like the music, but not the lyrics”). The written accent in μού may be added in contexts where it prevents ambiguity or gives contrast; ordinary μου is the form learners will see most often.

Do not assume that μου αρέσει always means a strong passion. Like English “I like,” it can express anything from mild approval to personal attraction. For “I love” in an enthusiastic sense, Greek has other choices, including λατρεύω, but those are stronger than neutral μου αρέσει.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master the following points at A1, but they explain forms you will meet later.

Emphasis and contrast

The short pronoun can be reinforced with a strong form:

• Εμένα μου αρέσει. — I like it / As for me, I like it.
• Σε εκείνον δεν αρέσει. — He does not like it.

In everyday speech, the doubled pattern Εμένα μου... is very natural when contrasting opinions: Εμένα μου αρέσει, αλλά στον Νίκο όχι (“I like it, but Nikos doesn’t”). The extra form does not change the basic agreement rule.

Other tenses

The same structure continues in other tenses. The thing liked remains the subject:

Time	Singular	Plural	Example
present	αρέσει	αρέσουν	Μου αρέσουν αυτά.
past/imperfect	άρεσε	άρεσαν	Μου άρεσε η ταινία.
future	θα αρέσει	θα αρέσουν	Θα σου αρέσει το νησί.

Μου άρεσε η ταινία means “I liked the film,” while Μου άρεσαν οι ηθοποιοί means “I liked the actors.” Θα σου αρέσει is also a common prediction: “You’ll like it.”

When the liked person is a pronoun

Forms such as Μου αρέσεις and Του αρέσω reveal the underlying grammar clearly. The verb changes for the person who is liked:

• Μου αρέσεις. — I like you. (You please me.)
• Σου αρέσω; — Do you like me? (Do I please you?)
• Της αρέσουμε. — She likes us. (We please her.)

These forms require more of the full conjugation of αρέσω. For basic conversations, first make αρέσει and αρέσουν automatic, then expand to the other persons.

Practice Tips

1. Sort preferences into singular and plural. Make two lists: Μου αρέσει... with items such as ο καφές and η μουσική, and Μου αρέσουν... with items such as τα βιβλία and οι παραλίες. Say each complete sentence aloud.
2. Ask and answer paired questions. Use Σου αρέσει...; and Σου αρέσουν...;, then answer with Ναι, μου αρέσει/αρέσουν or Όχι, δεν μου αρέσει/αρέσουν. This builds both agreement and pronoun switching.
3. Add one activity each day. Complete Μου αρέσει να... with a correctly matched verb: διαβάζω, μαγειρεύω, ταξιδεύω. Then change the experiencer: Του αρέσει να διαβάζει, Μας αρέσει να διαβάζουμε.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Present Tense (Group B: -ώ/-άω) — provides the present-tense background needed to understand the verb forms used with αρέσω.