adverb

gern

enjoy · like

Dieses Wort zeigt, dass man etwas mit Freude oder aus eigenem Wunsch tut oder mag.

Definition & meaning

gern means gladly, willingly, or with pleasure. It commonly expresses that someone enjoys doing something:

Ich lese gern. — “I like reading.”
Er hilft gern. — “He is happy to help.”

With certain verbs, gern can convey “like to” or “enjoy.” It can also be used on its own as a friendly “gladly” or “you’re welcome,” depending on the context.

Grammar & Word origin

gern is an adverb and does not change form. It usually appears with the verb or activity that someone enjoys. gerne is a common variant with the same meaning.

The usual comparison is irregular: gern (gladly) → lieber (rather / more gladly) → am liebsten (most of all).

Synonyms & antonyms

gerne — A variant of gern, with no meaningful difference in most contexts.
mit Freude — “With pleasure”; emphasizes the positive feeling.
bereitwillig — “Willingly”; emphasizes readiness rather than enjoyment.
ungern — “Reluctantly” or “unwillingly”; the direct opposite when describing willingness or enjoyment.