German Grammar * Review & Exercises

"MÖGEN" or "MÖCHTEN"?

1. MÖGEN

mögen expresses preference in taste. It is not used very much, but it often appears in questions. It is usually used without a dependent infinitive. Instead of mögen, the phrase with gern + VERB [to like to + verb] is preferred, especially when you have a dependent infinitive.

• Magst du Fußball? Nein, es ist langweilig.
• Do you like football? No, it is boring.
  [a perfectly good sentence; no dependent infinitive]
• Ich spiele gern Fußball.
• I like to play soccer.
  [a perfectly good sentence; dependent infinitive "spielen".
  You would not say "Ich mag Fußball spielen" to express the same idea. This is an odd phrase, and although you might encounter it, it is not good German].

In given circumstances, finden [to find to be] can be used as an alternate (however, it expresses a somewhat different idea). The answer requires an adverb.

• Wie findest du Fußball? (What do you think about soccer?)
• Ich finde Fußball toll. (I think it is great).
2. MÖCHTEN

The conjugation of möchten is regular except 3rd SG, there is NO -t:

er/sie/es möchte_

möchten is the subjunctive form of mögen. In the course of time, it took on a somewhat different meaning. möchten now means "to like, to prefer" as in "to desire, to wish, to want". It is often combined with would (especially in questions).

• Was möchten Sie?
• (What do you want? What would you like [to do...]?)
• Möchten Sie die grüne oder die blaue Jacke (kaufen...)?
• (Would you like [to have, buy, try on...] the green or the blue jacket?)
• Ach, ich möchte die blaue [Jacke] (kaufen).
• (Oh, I would like [I want] the blue one.)

There still is an element of expressing preference, but mainly an element of action based on this preference. [In the example: You prefer the blue jacket, so this is the one you want to buy. Suppose you are shopping with a friend and ask his/her opinion, then they could say: "Ich mag die blaue Jacke" (I like the blue one). They simply express their taste, but do not necessarily intend to act on it].

An example to illustrate the difference in meaning:

• Möchtest du Fußball spielen?
  Would you like to play soccer? (do you like to do it; note the dependent infinitive)
• Magst du Fußball?
  Do you like soccer? (you may like the sport, but you might not necessarily want to play it)

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