After aimer, adorer, préférer and détester, French uses the definite article where English uses none: j'aime le chocolat, je déteste les araignées - the thing is meant in general. To say you like DOING something, put the infinitive straight after the verb: j'aime lire.
Examples
- J'aime le café, mais je préfère le thé.
- I like coffee, but I prefer tea.
- Elle adore les chats.
- She loves cats.
- Je déteste faire les courses.
- I hate doing the shopping.
The mistake to avoid
"J'aime chocolat" with no article is a classic English-speaker error; the article is required.
Where this fits in
Colours, clothes & likes, French A1: Name colours and clothes, buy something in the right size, and say what you like and don't like.