# I like playing/to play the guitar



## Andre~

Hola!!!

Tengo una duda sobre usar o el gerundio o el infinitivo después de like en casos como este:

- I like playing the guitar.
- I like to play the guitar.

Se pueden usar los dos casos?, o en que casos se deben usar el infinitivo y en qué casos el gerundio?

Gracias!


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## wondersilvia

Definetely:  I like to play the guitar.


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## adrs

I like playing the guitar = Me gusta tocar la guitarra.
I like to play the guitar = Considero una buena idea tocar la guitarra.


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## laurargentina

adrs said:


> I like playing the guitar = Me gusta tocar la guitarra.
> I like to play the guitar = Considero una buena idea tocar la guitarra.



I agree with this post. I think that this difference is only for British English and that the Americans tend to use LIKE+to-inf more often, and if they use like+gerund, there's no difference for them. Of course, as far as I know.


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## yolan

A ver si algún nativo nos lo aclara.
Creo que era así:
like + _ing ->  se utiliza para expresar aficiones o gusto por conceptos en general
"I like swimming"
like + to -> se utiliza para expresar deseos puntuales
"I don't like to swim in cold water"

Pero ahora mismo tampoco lo tengo tan claro. ¿¿Un nativo, por favor!!!


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## laurargentina

Yes, and we need both an American native and a British one!


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## SevenDays

Hola

A mi entender:
I like_ playing_ the guitar se refiere a la_ acción durativa_ de tocar la guitarra
I like _to play_ the guitar se refiere al _concepto/_la _idea_ de tocar la guitarra.
Las dos versiones son válidas, y el uso depende del contexto.

Saludos


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## yolan

Aquí cada uno dice la suya... verás lo que se van a reir los nativos, jejeje


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## laurargentina

SevenDays said:


> Hola
> 
> A mi entender:
> I like_ playing_ the guitar se refiere a la_ acción durativa_ de tocar la guitarra
> I like _to play_ the guitar se refiere al _concepto/_la _idea_ de tocar la guitarra.
> Las dos versiones son válidas, y el uso depende del contexto.
> 
> Saludos



I'm afraid I don't agree with you in that duration has something to do here, but, let's keep waiting for the natives.


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## Bluedaisy

Hola, creo que hay una diferencia en significado si se usa el gerundio o el infinitivo en verbos del tipo like/dislike_: _van unos ejemplos.

On Sunday evening I like to iron all my shirts, ready for the week ahead. (particular occasion or specific activity)
I don't like (or, I hate) ironing (as a rule, or general activity)

I like to swim in the ocean (more specific)
I like swimming (in general)

O sea, algo que se hace habitualmente lleva gerundio, si no, va el infinitivo. saludos!

Bluedaisy


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## laurargentina

Bluedaisy said:


> Hola, creo que hay una diferencia en significado si se usa el gerundio o el infinitivo en verbos del tipo like/dislike_: _van unos ejemplos.
> 
> On Sunday evening I like to iron all my shirts, ready for the week ahead. (particular occasion or specific activity)
> I don't like (or, I hate) ironing (as a rule, or general activity)
> 
> I like to swim in the ocean (more specific)
> I like swimming (in general)
> 
> O sea, algo que se hace habitualmente lleva gerundio, si no, va el infinitivo. saludos!
> 
> Bluedaisy


Mi idea es que hay una diferencia (en Br. English) pero que like+gerund = enjoy; and like+ to-inf.= like to do sthg because it's good or wise.
La diferencia entre "en general" y " en particular" you la haría entre "I like..." and "I would ('d) like to....
e.g. I like eating pizza but I wouldn't like to eat pizza this evening.


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## SevenDays

laurargentina said:


> I'm afraid I don't agree with you in that duration has something to do here, but, let's keep waiting for the natives.



I like "to play" the guitar means the _concept_ of playing the guitar.
I like "playing" the guitar refers to the concept of playing the guitar _as it is carried out_ in one's mind (duration).
But, you are right, perhaps hair-splitting should be left to the natives
Cheers


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## Moraleitor

Creo que el problema viene traducir like por gustar en español que es reflexivo. Pero traducimos like por: &nbsp;me gusta "estar" / me gusta "la acción de estar" / me gusta "lo que se siente al estar" tiene un significado que se acerca más al significado en inglés.<br>P.E. <br>"I like eating pizza but I wouldn't like to eat pizza in a place like this." Me gusta "lo que se siente al estar" comiendo pizza pero no me gustaría "lo que se sentiría" al comer pizza en un sitio así"<br>"I like to eat pizza but I wouldn't like eating pizza in a place like this" Me gusta "la acción de " comer pizza pero no me gustaría "lo que se siente al estar" comiendo pizza en un sitio así.<br>La diferencia entre I like to play the guitar/I like playing the guitar es: me gusta lo que se siente al tocar la guitarra y me gusta lo que se siente al estar tocando la guitarra es mínima y se pueden intercambiar el 99.9% de las veces.&nbsp;<br>


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## LEO_Nuevo Castillo

Hi all,

I have noticed that this is an old thread, but remarkably, this is a common question among those who don't speak English natively. Is there a native English speaker who can solve this problem?

The debate is:
1) If I know how to play the guitar and I enjoy doing it we must to say: I like playing the guitar (?)

BUT

2) If I don't know how to play the guitar but I would like to learn, then we should say: I like to play the guitar / I would like to play the guitar (?)

Hopefully a native speaker or a teacher of English can tell us the answer!

Cheers!


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## loudspeaker

LEO_Nuevo Castillo said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I have noticed that this is an old thread, but remarkably, this is a common question among those who don't speak English natively. Is there a native English speaker who can solve this problem?
> 
> The debate is:
> 1) If I know how to play the guitar and I enjoy doing it we must to say: I like playing the guitar (?)
> 
> BUT
> 
> 2) If I don't know how to play the guitar but I would like to learn, then we should say: I like to play the guitar / I would like to play the guitar (?)
> 
> Hopefully a native speaker or a teacher of English can tell us the answer!
> 
> Cheers!



1- Yes. 
2- No. I'd probably say... I'd like to learn how to play the guitar.


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## JennyTW

In BrE at least we can distinguish the  difference In meaning mentioned before. For example:
"I don't like going to the dentist (I don't enjoy this activity) but I like to go to the dentist twice a year"(I think it's a good idea to do this - here the question of a specific action is irrelevant).

However, sometimes we use the two with no signifant difference in meaning;
"What do you like doing/to do in your free  time?"
"I like playing/to play the guitar"

This particular native doesn't consider that here "like to play" means  that it is a good idea. 

If we use the conditional, of course, then we have to use the infinitive - "I wouldn't like to play the guitar".


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## loudspeaker

I hope this link helps clear up some of the confusion concerning 'like+ infinitive/gerund. 

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2608520


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## horsewishr

I would say that in the case of the original question:


> - I like playing the guitar.
> - I like to play the guitar.


There is absolutely no difference.  At least not to my American ears (and brain).  It's possible that in some circumstances one form or the other might be preferred, but in general there is no difference.


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## LEO_Nuevo Castillo

Hi everybody,

Thanks for all your replies. I read this and the other thread suggested by 'loudspeaker' and I have come to the following conclusion:

There is no difference between (a) I like playing the guitar and (b) I like to play the guitar. Both mean that you enjoy this activity. This answers the original question of this thread. Thank you!


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## BEAT20

With STATE/STATIVE VERBS you use the present simple NOT the continuous, so the correct form is: I like to play the guitar.


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## JennyTW

BEAT20 said:


> With STATE/STATIVE VERBS you use the present simple NOT the continuous, so the correct form is: I like to play the guitar.


But that rule only means that we can't say "I'm liking to play the guitar".

It doesn't mean you can't say "I like playing the guitar", because

a) "play" is not a stative verb (I am playing), and
b) we aren't using the present continuous here, but rather the gerund, which we could use with stative verbs anyway, if we want (I like being on my own).


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## LEO_Nuevo Castillo

BEAT20 said:


> With STATE/STATIVE VERBS you use the present simple NOT the continuous, so the correct form is: I like to play the guitar.



Ok! Thank you very much for your answer Beat.

Cheers


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## gringuitoloco

BEAT20 said:


> With STATE/STATIVE VERBS you use the present simple NOT the continuous, so the correct form is: I like to play the guitar.


That refers to "I like X" instead of "I am liking X"

As far as the difference goes, I would say the gerund is the concept, whereas the infinitive is the actual carrying out of the idea. 

I like fishing: Hanging out with my friends, chilling by the water, etc is pleasurable.
I like the concept.
I like to fish: I like the casting, reeling in, catching fish, etc.
I like the action.


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## JennyTW

gringuitoloco said:


> That refers to "I like X" instead of "I am liking X"
> 
> As far as the difference goes, I would say the gerund is the concept, whereas the infinitive is the actual carrying out of the idea.
> 
> I like fishing: Hanging out with my friends, chilling by the water, etc is pleasurable.
> I like the concept.
> I like to fish: I like the casting, reeling in, catching fish, etc.
> I like the action.



That's right. Beat20 has it a bit wrong. I just don't know why Leo didn't pay any attention to my post #21 where I say something very similar to you. Oh well....


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## bingaling

Andre~ said:


> Hola!!!
> 
> Tengo una duda sobre usar o el gerundio o el infinitivo después de like en casos como este:
> 
> - I like playing the guitar.
> - I like to play the guitar.
> 
> Se pueden usar los dos casos?, o en que casos se deben usar el infinitivo y en qué casos el gerundio?
> 
> Gracias!


Some people say crazy shit Andre. Both off these are fine. One stipulates just what you would imagine and the other says you like the act of playing the guitar. The difference is extremely subtle and really doesn't matter at all. I'm Irish and grew up on a diet of British English and I play guitar  These are fine!


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## bingaling

wondersilvia said:


> Definetely:  I like to play the guitar.


Nonsense!


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## bingaling

adrs said:


> I like playing the guitar = Me gusta tocar la guitarra.
> I like to play the guitar = Considero una buena idea tocar la guitarra.


Hombre no! Es el mismo!


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## bingaling

horsewishr said:


> I would say that in the case of the original question:
> 
> There is absolutely no difference.  At least not to my American ears (and brain).  It's possible that in some circumstances one form or the other might be preferred, but in general there is no difference.


Nor in the Irish ones


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