Expressing your preferences in English goes beyond just saying “I like” or “I don’t like”. This short English lesson on expressing likes and dislikes introduces you to all the useful verbs and expressions to accurately say what you like or dislike, along with their grammatical structures.
Classification of taste verbs by intensity
| Intensity | Positive verbs | Translation | Negative verbs | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | Like | To like | Don’t like | To not like |
| Enjoy | To enjoy | Dislike | To dislike | |
| Appreciate | To appreciate | Be not keen on | To not be keen on | |
| Moderate | Love | To love | Can’t stand | Can’t stand |
| Prefer | To prefer | Can’t bear | Can’t bear | |
| Be fond of | To be fond of | Recoil from | To recoil from | |
| Cherish | To cherish | Shun | To shun | |
| Strong | Adore | To adore | Hate | To hate |
| Be crazy about | To be crazy about | Despise | To despise | |
| Be addicted to | To be addicted to | Loathe | To loathe | |
| Crave | To crave | Abhor | To abhor | |
| Relish | To relish | |||
| Savor | To savor |
Grammatical construction with taste verbs
Essential grammatical constructions
| Construction | Usage | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + noun | Objects, concepts | I like chocolate / She hates noise |
| Verb + verb-ing | Activities (general rule) | I enjoy reading / He loves cooking |
| Verb + to + verb | With like, love, prefer, hate | I like to read / She prefers to work alone |
| Prefer + noun + to + noun | Comparisons | I prefer tea to coffee |
General rule: verb + gerund (-ing)
Most taste verbs are followed by a verb in -ing form.
- I enjoy reading in the evening.
- She hates working on Sundays.
- They love dancing together.
Exceptions with to + verb
Some verbs also accept to + base verb: like, love, prefer, hate.
- I like to read before sleeping.
- She loves to cook for her family.
- He prefers to work alone.
Detailed positive taste verbs
Like
The most common verb to express what we enjoy. Used in all contexts.
- I like your new haircut.
- Do you like Italian food?
- She likes swimming in the morning.
Love
More intense than like, love expresses adoration.
- I love spending time with my family.
- They love traveling around the world.
- She loves her new job.
Enjoy
Indicates taking pleasure in doing something. Always followed by a noun or gerund.
- We enjoyed the concert last night.
- I enjoy cooking on weekends.
- He enjoys playing chess with his grandfather.
Cherish
Verb more intense than appreciate, expresses deep and precious attachment.
- I cherish the memories of our vacation.
- She cherishes her grandmother’s ring.
Crave
Expresses intense desire or sudden craving.
- I crave chocolate when I’m stressed.
- She craves adventure and excitement.
Relish
Means to savor with great pleasure, often used for food or experiences.
- I relish every bite of this cake.
- He relishes the challenge of difficult tasks.
Savor
Similar to relish, means to appreciate slowly and fully.
- She savors her morning coffee.
- We should savor these precious moments.
Prefer
Expresses a preference, often in a comparison.
- I prefer tea to coffee.
- She prefers working from home.
- We prefer to eat early.
Be fond of
Expression more formal than like, indicates personal attachment.
- I’m fond of old movies.
- She’s very fond of her dog.
- He’s fond of classical literature.
Be crazy about
Familiar expression to express intense passion.
- She’s crazy about football.
- I’m crazy about this new restaurant.
- They’re crazy about video games.
Detailed negative taste verbs
Don’t like
The standard negative form of like, usable in all contexts.
- I don’t like spicy food.
- She doesn’t like getting up early.
- They don’t like crowded places.
Dislike
More formal than don’t like, often used in writing.
- I dislike his arrogant attitude.
- She dislikes working under pressure.
- We dislike cold weather.
Hate
Expresses strong and categorical rejection.
- I hate waking up early on weekends.
- She hates doing the dishes.
- He hates being late.
Despise
More formal than hate, expresses contempt.
- I despise people who lie constantly.
- She despises injustice in all its forms.
Loathe
Expresses deep and visceral hatred.
- I loathe the smell of cigarettes.
- He loathes having to repeat himself.
Abhor
Very formal, expresses strong moral repugnance.
- I abhor violence of any kind.
- She abhors dishonesty in business.
Recoil from
Means to recoil from something out of repugnance.
- I recoil from the idea of eating insects.
- She recoils from any form of cruelty.
Shun
Means to deliberately avoid something or someone.
- He shuns social media completely.
- They shun processed foods.
Can’t stand
Very common expression to express that you can’t tolerate something.
- I can’t stand loud music.
- She can’t stand waiting in line.
- We can’t stand his behavior.
Can’t bear
Similar to can’t stand but with a more emotional connotation.
- I can’t bear seeing animals suffer.
- She can’t bear the thought of leaving.
- He can’t bear criticism.
Essential idiomatic expressions
Positive expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I’m really into | I’m passionate about | I’m really into photography |
| I’m a big fan of | I’m a big fan of | I’m a big fan of jazz music |
| It’s my thing | It’s my thing | Rock climbing is my thing |
| To die for | Amazing/incredible | This cake is to die for |
| To be a feast for the senses | To be a feast for the senses | This meal is a feast for the senses |
| To be music to someone’s ears | To be music to someone’s ears | Your words are music to my ears |
| To be out of this world | To be extraordinary | This dessert is out of this world |
Negative expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It’s not my cup of tea | It’s not my type | Opera is not my cup of tea |
| It’s not my thing | It’s not for me | Horror movies are not my thing |
| I’m fed up with | I’m tired of | I’m fed up with waiting |
| I’m not a big fan of | I don’t really like | I’m not a big fan of crowds |
| To be sickening | To be disgusting | His arrogance is sickening |
| To be off-putting | To be unpleasant | The smell is off-putting |
| To be a turn-off | To be discouraging | Bad manners are a turn-off |
| To be a letdown | To be disappointing | The movie was a letdown |
Forming questions with taste verbs
Closed questions
The structure follows the pattern: Do/Does + subject + verb + complement?
- Do you like coffee?
- Does she enjoy reading?
- Do they prefer staying home?
Open questions
- What kind of music do you like?
- Which do you prefer, tea or coffee?
- What don’t you like about your job?
Short answers
- Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
- Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
- I prefer coffee. / I don’t mind either.
Adjectives to nuance your tastes
Positive adjectives
| English | Meaning | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazing | Incredible | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fantastic | Fantastic | Brilliant | Brilliant |
| Wonderful | Wonderful | Awesome | Awesome |
| Great | Great | Delicious | Delicious |
| Tasty | Tasty | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Appetizing | Appetizing | Scrumptious | Scrumptious |
| Fabulous | Fabulous | Terrific | Terrific |
Negative adjectives
| English | Meaning | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awful | Awful | Horrible | Horrible |
| Terrible | Terrible | Boring | Boring |
| Disgusting | Disgusting | Disappointing | Disappointing |
| Unpleasant | Unpleasant | Annoying | Annoying |
| Bland | Bland | Nauseating | Nauseating |
| Unappetizing | Unappetizing | Unpalatable | Unpalatable |
| Repulsive | Repulsive | Revolting | Revolting |
| Vile | Vile | Appalling | Appalling |
Nuances according to context
Formal register
In a professional or formal context, prefer: appreciate, prefer, dislike, find + adjective.
- I appreciate your feedback.
- I find this proposal interesting.
Informal register
With friends or family: love, hate, can’t stand, be crazy about.
- I’m crazy about this new series.
- I can’t stand Monday mornings.
Diplomatic politeness
To criticize politely: I’m not keen on, it’s not really my thing, I’d rather.
- I’m not keen on spicy food.
- I’d rather not discuss this now.
Common errors to avoid
Incorrect construction
- Error: I enjoy to read.
- Correct: I enjoy reading.
- Error: I prefer coffee than tea.
- Correct: I prefer coffee to tea.
Meaning confusion
Like can mean “to like” but also “to resemble” depending on context.
- I like my father. (I love my father.)
- I look like my father. (I resemble my father.)
Inappropriate intensity
Avoid hate for light preferences. Use don’t like or I’m not keen on instead.
Application exercises
Translate these sentences
- I love cooking on weekends.
- She can’t stand noise.
- Do you prefer tea or coffee?
- He doesn’t like getting up early.
- We’re crazy about this new series.
- I dislike his attitude.
- They love traveling together.
- It’s not my thing.
- I’m fed up with waiting.
- What kind of music do you like?
Corrections
- I love cooking on weekends.
- She can’t stand noise.
- Do you prefer tea or coffee?
- He doesn’t like getting up early.
- We’re crazy about this new series.
- I dislike his attitude.
- They love traveling together.
- It’s not my thing.
- I’m fed up with waiting.
- What kind of music do you like?
Essential points to remember
The -ing form works with all taste verbs. Start by mastering like, love, hate and don’t like before adding other verbs. Adapt the intensity to your real feelings.
