Italian Phrase
Mi piace disegnare ritratti.
Meaning
Literally, ‘It pleases me to draw portraits.’ In everyday English we say ‘I like drawing portraits.’ The construction expresses a personal preference for an activity rather than a static object.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to talk about a hobby or artistic interest, especially in casual conversation, language‑exchange meet‑ups, or when introducing yourself in a class or workshop.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipiacedisegnareritratti
Mi (indirect object pronoun)
‘Mi’ is the indirect object pronoun meaning ‘to me’; it precedes the verb ‘piace’.
Piace (impersonal verb)
‘Piace’ is the third‑person singular of ‘piacere’; the verb is used impersonally, so the thing that pleases you is the grammatical subject.
Disegnare (infinitive)
The infinitive verb follows ‘piace’ and acts as the subject of the sentence.
Ritratti (plural noun)
‘Ritratti’ means ‘portraits’; because the infinitive is singular, the verb stays in the singular form ‘piace’.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Mi piace disegnare ritratti.
I like drawing portraits.
✕Common Mistakes
Io piace disegnare ritratti.
‘Piacere’ never takes a first‑person subject; the correct pronoun is the indirect object ‘Mi’.
Mi piacciono disegnare ritratti.
The verb must agree with the infinitive (singular), not with the plural noun that follows it.
Mi piace disegnare il ritratti.
‘Ritratti’ is already plural; use the singular ‘il ritratto’ if you refer to one portrait, or keep the plural without the article.
↔Alternatives
Mi piace fare ritratti.
I like making portraits.
Adoro disegnare ritratti.
I love drawing portraits.
Mi diverte disegnare ritratti.
I enjoy drawing portraits.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, talking about artistic hobbies is a common ice‑breaker, especially in cities with a strong visual‑arts tradition like Florence or Venice. The ‘piacere’ construction is very polite and neutral; avoid using ‘Io piace…’ because ‘piacere’ never takes a first‑person subject. Also, note that the verb stays singular even when the activity involves a plural object (e.g., ‘Mi piacciono i ritratti’ would mean ‘I like the portraits themselves’, not the act of drawing them).