If you’re on your journey to learn German, you’ve probably come across very important words: gefallen and gern. These little words can make a big difference in how you express preferences, likes, and enjoyment. In this blog post, we will be focusing on how to use gern and the verb ‘gefallen’ in German.
Don’t worry, they’re not as tricky as they seem, and in this post, we’ll walk you through the difference between them, when to use each, and how to build sentences like a pro. As always, listen to the podcast to learn more about how to pronounce these words and discover some new vocabulary.
How to use ‘gefallen’ in German
If you speak a little German, you might have heard gefallen used in a sentence before. It is a verb that’s a little different from the English to like. Instead of you directly liking something, something pleases you and that’s where ‘gefallen’ in German comes into play. The word literally means to please or to be pleasing.
Here’s a crucial point to remember: In German, the thing that pleases you is the subject of the sentence, and you are the object in the dative case. This is the opposite of English, where you say I like something.
For example:
- Das Buch gefällt mir. I like the book.
- Die Schuhe gefallen mir. I like the shoes.
- Wie gefällt dir mein neues Hemd? How do you like my new shirt?
How to use ‘gern’ in German
Now that you know how to use ‘gefallen’ in German, we can move on to gern or gerne, which is used to express that you enjoy doing something. It’s a little different from gefallen, because gern(e) is used with verbs to talk about actions you like doing, whereas gefallen is used to describe things that you like.
Gern(e) doesn’t change its form, but it is placed directly after the verb it modifies. Think of gern as meaning gladly or with pleasure, but in practice, it’s the most common way to say like to. Let’s see some examples:
- Ich esse gern(e) Pizza. I like to eat pizza.
- Wir schwimmen gern(e). We like to swim.
- Er spielt gern(e) Fußball. He likes to play soccer.
Gern vs. Gefallen – summarising the difference
Now, let’s quickly summarise the key difference between gern(e) and gefallen in German:
- Gefallen is used to talk about things you like. It’s a verb in itself, and the thing that pleases you is the subject, and you are the object.
- Gern(e) is used with other verbs to express that you enjoy doing something. It modifies the verb to show that you like the action.
So remember, if you’re talking about things you like, use gefallen. If you’re talking about actions you enjoy, use gern(e)!
And there you have it, a complete explanation of how to use gern(e) and gefallen in German! Now that you know the difference, you’re ready to express your likes, preferences, and favourite activities in German like a pro.
If you want to review your German vocabulary with an interesting quiz, check out the blog post and podcast episode we prepared to test your knowledge!
