Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (2025)

N

Ni neu

New Member

Bilbao, Spain

Spain, Basque and Spanish

  • Apr 2, 2007
  • #1

Hi!,

This question isn't really a big deal. I've asked it to some native speakers and they don't know what to tell me, so I guess I shouldn't care about it. But I'm so picky... Well, this is my doubt: should I use the gerund or the infinitive after some verbs such us "like," "enjoy," "love," etc.?

For instance, which one of these would be right?

- I like to eat pizza / I like eating pizza
- I enjoy to eat pizza / I enjoy eating pizza
- I love to eat pizza / I love eating pizza

I would use the gerund for all of them except for the first example. Any idea?

Thanks!

  • Metztli

    Senior Member

    The Purgatory

    Mexico Spanish / English

    • Apr 2, 2007
    • #2

    Hi Ni Neu!

    In these example you gave, it is correct to use the ing form.
    "I like/love/enjoy eating pizza".

    I believe it's a matter of style.

    Let's see what the others have to say.

    R

    rafaelgan

    Senior Member

    U.S.A

    Spanish

    • Apr 2, 2007
    • #3

    So, is it the same thing if I say, I like to eat pizza or I like eating pizza?

    Nunty

    Senior Member

    Jerusalem

    Hebrew-US English (bilingual)

    • Apr 2, 2007
    • #4

    Both sentences are correct.

    winklepicker

    Senior Member

    Kent

    English (UK)

    • Apr 2, 2007
    • #5

    My tuppence-worth:

    Ni neu said:

    I like to eat pizza
    I like eating pizza Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (4)
    I enjoy to eat pizza Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (5)
    I enjoy eating pizza Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (6)
    I love to eat pizza Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (7)
    I love eating pizza Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (8)

    I think this is probably a matter of taste. Much like the pizza...

    (By the way, the pizza example is not a very good one: most of us natives would say 'I like pizza'.)

    N

    Ni neu

    New Member

    Bilbao, Spain

    Spain, Basque and Spanish

    • Apr 3, 2007
    • #6

    Thanks. In case of doubt I'll use the gerund...

    panjandrum

    Senior Member

    Belfast, Ireland

    English-Ireland (top end)

    • Apr 3, 2007
    • #7

    Ni neu said:

    Thanks. In case of doubt I'll use the gerund...

    To help resolve your doubts, at least a little, I recommend that you read through some of these threads:
    [URL="http://www.wordreference.com/definition/gerund%20infinitive"]Gerund, infinitive[/URL]

    A

    ajohan

    Senior Member

    Catalonia

    UK, English

    • Apr 3, 2007
    • #8

    A note about "like to" which doesn't seem to be covered on the other thread. If we say "I like to wash up straight after my meals" we are not saying that we enjoy the feeling of the warm soapy water. Rather, it means that we prefer to do it straight away to avoid having dirty dishes around.
    So it's typical with routines. Another one: "I like to do my homework straight after class". This would mean to get it out of the way, not that we enjoy doing homework.
    In these cases when we mean "prefer to", like + ...ing would convey the wrong meaning.

    M

    Mitita

    New Member

    Spanish, Uruguay

    • Mar 26, 2012
    • #9

    Sorry I'm so late for this, but I have a question related to enjoy.

    In some English grammar books it is said that enjoy is usually followed by a gerund, which is what sounds best.
    My question is: Is there a chance to use an infinitve? If so, in what case would that be possible?

    Thanks in advance.

    panjandrum

    Senior Member

    Belfast, Ireland

    English-Ireland (top end)

    • Mar 26, 2012
    • #10

    Mitita said:

    Sorry I'm so late for this, but I have a question related to enjoy.

    In some English grammar books it is said that enjoy is usually followed by a gerund, which is what sounds best.
    My question is: Is there a chance to use an infinitve? If so, in what case would that be possible?

    Thanks in advance.

    You mean something like "I enjoy to eat pizza"?
    No, that would not be possible.

    You can say "I like eating pizza," and "I like to eat pizza."
    But not "I enjoy to eat pizza."

    M

    Mitita

    New Member

    Spanish, Uruguay

    • Apr 26, 2012
    • #11

    I thought so. It's probably used for other types of constructions not infinitives.

    Thank you very much!
    I'm new here and I love the way it works.

    C

    crossit

    New Member

    French - France

    • Oct 15, 2014
    • #12

    panjandrum said:

    You mean something like "I enjoy to eat pizza"?
    No, that would not be possible.

    You can say "I like eating pizza," and "I like to eat pizza."
    But not "I enjoy to eat pizza."

    Does anyone have an explanation for this impossible marriage of 'enjoy' with 'TO DO' ? ? ?
    My guess is that enjoy is only used to describe a characteristic of the subject, so it's always about 'in general', never about 'this specific situation'.
    Do you concur?

    why does my grammar book say that 'dislike' also refuses to be followed by 'TO DO'? wouldn't it work just as 'like', accepting both 'V-ing' & 'TO V'?

    Enquiring Mind

    Senior Member

    UK/Česká republika

    English - the King's

    • Oct 15, 2014
    • #13

    Hello crossit, and welcome to the forum! Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (12) It's an interesting theory, but I don't think it holds water. I think it's just a question of "that's what we say" (in much the same way as verbs in French will sometimes take one construction and not another) rather than any kind of logic. Actually you can quite happily use "enjoy" about a specific situation. After a meal, you'd say "I enjoyed that", at a concert "are you enjoying it?".
    Enjoy!

    C

    crossit

    New Member

    French - France

    • Oct 15, 2014
    • #14

    Thank you Enquiring Mind!

    I

    Itismefeu

    New Member

    Portuguese - Brazilian

    • Nov 10, 2014
    • #15

    Hello!

    I know that "enjoy" is followed by gerund, but in this sentence I was not quite sure:

    I enjoy going/to go shopping.

    "going shopping" sounds a bit odd

    Thanks in advance!

    JamesM

    Senior Member

    Los Angeles, California

    English, USA

    • Nov 10, 2014
    • #16

    You could shorten it to "I enjoy shopping" but "I enjoy going shopping" is correct. It's just a little awkward-sounding with two "-ing"s next to each other. "I enjoy going out to shop" or "I enjoy shopping expeditions/trips" or "I enjoy getting out to shop" would all include the idea that part of the enjoyment is getting out of the house.

    I

    Itismefeu

    New Member

    Portuguese - Brazilian

    • Nov 10, 2014
    • #17

    Thank you, JamesM!

    TheEnglishCondor

    Senior Member

    British English

    • Nov 26, 2020
    • #18

    The answer to the question of why the "gerund" or "to infinitive" is used with "like", "love, "prefer", "hate" is that "to infinitive" is usual in American English, whereas "gerund" is more common in British English, although the "to infinitive" is becoming more common in international English due to Americanisation.

    N.B. "enjoy" and "despise" can only be used with a following "gerund".

    velisarius

    Senior Member

    Greece

    British English (Sussex)

    • Nov 26, 2020
    • #19

    Welcome to the forum. Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (16)

    TheEnglishCondor said:

    "to infinitive" is usual in American English, whereas "gerund" is more common in British English, although the "to infinitive" is becoming more common in international English due to Americanisation.

    Thanks for that. I wasn't aware of a difference in usage with those verbs, but:
    Cambridge Dictionaries :
    In American English, the forms with to-infinitive are much more common than the -ing form.
    Hate, like, love and prefer - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

    There can be a difference of nuance:
    There is a very small difference in meaning between the two forms. The -ing form emphasises the action or experience. The to-infinitive gives more emphasis to the results of the action or event. We often use the -ing form to suggest enjoyment (or lack of it), and the to-infinitive form to express habits or preferences.

    There's quite a difference of nuance between like to do and like doing, as has already been explained in post #8. I like to Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (17) be precise.

    I hate to Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (18) disagree with you, TheEnglishCondor, but I don't see such a big difference in usage here between the two main varieties of English as you suggest.

    TheEnglishCondor

    Senior Member

    British English

    • Nov 26, 2020
    • #20

    Thanks for the welcome, velisarius.

    In post #8, the mistake being made is to include the urgency of time, which is irrelevant to the meaning of "like to do something" or "like doing something".

    I never inferred any difference in usage in my post in #18. In my opinion, there is no difference in meaning nor nuance - it is purely a style and custom difference.

    The only usage (not meaning) difference, one could argue, which may have an impact, is that the gerund is more often used for general situations whereas to infinitive is used for specific situations. Compare: "I like walking" (generally) and "I like to walk on the beach at midnight" (specific).

    What do you think?

    Last edited:

    velisarius

    Senior Member

    Greece

    British English (Sussex)

    • Nov 26, 2020
    • #21

    TheEnglishCondor said:

    Compare: "I like walking" (generally) and "I like to walk on the beach at midnight" (specific).

    A truer comparison would be between I like to walk on the beach at midnight and I like walking on the beach at midnight. I see no real difference there.

    We should compare like with like:
    What do you like doing in your free time? I like walking, or going for a run.
    What do you like to do in your free time? I like to walk or go for a run.

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    Gerund, infinitive: I <enjoy, like, love> <eating, to eat> pizza. (2025)
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