Italian Phrase
Mi piace leggere e fare escursioni.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I like reading and going on hikes.’ It expresses two favorite pastimes in a single, fluid construction, a common way to talk about personal interests in Italian.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re introducing yourself, answering a question about hobbies, or chatting with friends about what you enjoy doing in your free time.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mipiaceleggereefareescursioni
Mi (indirect object pronoun)
‘Mi’ is the indirect object pronoun meaning ‘to me’, used with the verb ‘piacere’ to indicate who likes something.
Piace (verb ‘piacere’)
‘Piace’ is the third‑person singular form of ‘piacere’; the verb agrees with the infinitive phrase that follows, not with the subject.
Leggere (infinitive)
The infinitive ‘leggere’ (to read) functions as the thing that pleases the speaker.
E (conjunction)
‘E’ simply links two activities, equivalent to ‘and’ in English.
Fare (infinitive)
‘Fare’ (to do/make) is used here before the noun ‘escursioni’ to form the activity ‘to go on hikes’.
Escursioni (plural noun)
‘Escursioni’ means ‘hikes’ or ‘excursions’; it is plural, so the verb ‘piace’ stays singular because it refers to the whole infinitive phrase.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Mi piace leggere e fare escursioni.
I like reading and going on hikes.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi piacciono leggere e fare escursioni.
‘Piacciono’ agrees with a plural noun, but here the verb must agree with the infinitive phrase, so the correct form is ‘piace’.
Mi piace leggere e faccio escursioni.
Mixing an infinitive with a finite verb breaks the parallel structure; keep both activities in infinitive form after ‘piace’.
Mi piace leggere e fare escursione.
‘Escursione’ is singular; the phrase talks about the activity in general, so the plural ‘escursioni’ is natural.
↔Alternatives
Mi piace leggere e camminare in montagna.
I like reading and walking in the mountains.
Adoro leggere e fare trekking.
I love reading and trekking.
Mi diverte leggere e fare escursioni.
I enjoy reading and going on excursions.
Cultural Tip
Hiking (escursioni) is a beloved activity across Italy, especially in the Alpine regions, the Apennines, and coastal trails. When you mention it, Italians often ask follow‑up questions about the specific mountains or parks you’ve explored. Using ‘mi piace’ is informal but perfectly polite; for a more formal setting you could say ‘Mi fa piacere leggere e fare escursioni.’