Mít rád, líbit se, chutnat: The Secret Rules of Saying “I Like” in Czech

When English speakers learn Czech, one of the first traps they fall into is the word to like. In English it’s easy:

• I like Prague.

• I like beer.

• I like you.

In Czech? Sorry, one verb won’t do the job. Depending on what you want to “like,” you have at least three different options: mít rád, líbit se, and chutnat. Let’s untangle this once and for all.

Mít rád – The Classic “To Like / To Love”

Think of mít rád as the safe, stable option. It literally means “to have (something) gladly.” You use it for people, things, and activities when you want to express affection or a lasting preference.

Examples:

• Mám rád kávu. – I like coffee. (male speaker)

• Mám ráda kávu. – I like coffee. (female speaker)

• Máme rádi Prahu. – We like Prague.

Yes, the ending changes depending on who is speaking:

• men → rád

• women → ráda

• groups → rádi (group of men or a mixed group), rády (group of women)

It feels weird at first, but think of it like wearing the right shirt size. If you say Mám rád, but you’re a woman, it’s like walking into the room with someone else’s shirt. People will notice. Read more about why Czech grammar wants to know your gender.

Note: If you really, really like something, you might hear milovat – “to love.” Normally it’s for people (Miluju tě – I love you), but Czechs also use it playfully or as hyperbole for things and activities:

• Miluju čokoládu. – I love chocolate.

• Miluju spánek. – I love sleeping.

Just remember, mít rád is the safe daily choice, milovat is when you want to sound dramatic.

Don’t confuse:

Mám tě rád. – I like you.

Miluju tě. – I love you.

Both are correct, but they’re not the same.

Mám tě rád (Mám tě ráda if you are a woman) is warm and friendly. You can say it to your partner, a family member, or even a close friend without sounding like you’re about to propose. It’s more like: “Hey, I really like you, I care about you.”

Miluju tě is full-on, Hollywood-style LOVE. Big emotions. Think candlelight dinners, heart-shaped balloons, or shouting “I love you!” at the airport before your partner boards the plane. If you say Miluju tě too soon in a relationship, you might scare someone away or make them fall in love with you instantly. Czech roulette.

So:

• To your best friend → Mám tě rád/a.

• To your soulmate on Valentine’s Day → Miluju tě.

Proposing with I like you? Expect: Don’t you love me?

Líbit se – When Something Appeals to You

Now we’re entering tricky territory. Líbit se literally means “to be pleasing to someone.” So instead of saying “I like Prague,” you actually say:

• Praha se mi líbí. – Prague is pleasing to me.

Grammar twist: the person who likes something is in the dative (mi, ti, mu…) and the thing itself is the subject. So don’t translate word by word. Think of it like English “Prague appeals to me.”

Examples:

• Líbí se mi ten film. – I like that movie.

• Líbí se ti ta nová kavárna? – Do you like the new café?

• Zuzaně se ten obraz nelíbí. – Zuzana doesn’t like the painting.

The difference:

• Mám rád Prahu. = I like Prague (stronger, more personal feeling).

• Praha se mi líbí. = Prague appeals to me (sounds like a tourist reviewing it on TripAdvisor).

Chutnat – When It’s About Taste

Food deserves its own verb. Chutnat is “to taste good (to someone).”

Examples:

• Chutná ti to? – Do you like it? (about food)

• Chutná mi to. – I like it. / I like the taste of it.

• Chutnalo mi to víno. – I liked that wine.

• Ten guláš mi vůbec nechutná. – I don’t like that goulash at all.

Don’t say Mám rád polévku at the restaurant if you mean “I like this soup.” That means you like soup in general. If you mean “This soup tastes good,” go with Polévka mi chutná. Learn more useful phrases in my Czech Restaurant Survival Vocabulary sheet full of real-life expressions and menu must-knows.

Bonus Round: Rád dělám něco – Liking Activities

If you like doing something, you don’t use mít rád. Instead, just use rád/ráda/rádi/rády + verb conjugated in present tense.

Examples:

• Rád plavu. – I like swimming. (male speaker)

• Ráda čtu. – I like reading. (female speaker)

• Rádi chodíme do hospody. – We like going to the pub.

• Rády chodíme na procházku. – We like going for a walk. (group of women)

Common mistake: Students often say Mám rád plavat. Nope. It’s like saying “I have gladly to swim.” Use Rád plavu instead.

Negatives, Comparisons, and Czech Humor

Czechs also love to play with comparisons:

• Radši mám čaj než kávu. – I prefer tea to coffee.

• Nejradši spím. – I like sleeping best.

And for negatives:

• Nemám rád zimu. – I don’t like winter.

This one is straightforward. You just put ne- in front of mít rád.

• Nerad o tom mluvím. – I don’t like talking about it.

Here it gets a little trickier. You don’t say rád and then add ne to the verb. Instead, rád itself turns into nerad (or nerada / neradi depending on who is speaking).

A student once told me:

• Nerad vstávám brzy ráno.
  And I said: “Congratulations. You are officially Czech.”

Quick Recap

• Use mít rád for people, things, and general stable likes.

• Use líbit se for things that appeal to your senses (except taste).

• Use chutnat for food and drink.

• Use rád + verb for activities.

Learning these four constructions is like learning to order a beer in Czech: it’s not just grammar, it’s survival. Once you master the difference between Mám rád pivo and Tohle pivo mi chutná, you’ll sound much more natural.