gostariam

Gostariam is the third-person plural conditional form of the Portuguese verb gostar, meaning "they would like." It is used to express a hypothetical desire or duty in a polite, formal, or customer-facing context, and can also function in questions that offer options or invitations directed at a group (often with the subject understood as vocês or eles/elas).

As a form of a regular -ar verb, gostariam appears with de + infinitive to indicate what is desired, for example: Eles gostariam de viajar no verão. This translates as "They would like to travel in the summer." The corresponding forms for other persons are eu gostaria, tu gostarias, ele gostaria, nós gostaríamos, vós gostaríeis, and eles gostariam. In practice, gostariam is most commonly used with the subject você(s) or eles/elas in spoken and written Portuguese.

Usage and tone: gostariam is widely used in formal writing, business communication, and polite conversation. It conveys consideration and restraint, favoring a courteous approach when offering choices or requesting actions. In informal speech, speakers may prefer simpler alternatives such as quero (I want) or queria (I would like in a less formal register).

Examples in context:

- Vocês gostariam de entrar? (Would you like to come in?)

- Eles gostariam de saber mais sobre a proposta. (They would like to know more about the proposal.)

- Gostaríamos de agradecer pela sua colaboração. (We would like to thank you for your cooperation.)

Overall, gostariam functions as a polite modal-like form to express interest or invitation to a group, maintaining a formal or courteous register in Portuguese.