The Difference Between "To Like" and "好き”

私はりんごが好きだ。 I like apples.

“好き” can be translated as “to like” in most cases, but of course there is a difference between them.

Hiroko 「誕生日おめでとう。これ、プレゼント。」 Happy birthday! This is a small present for you.

Naomi 「ありがとう。」 Thank you!

Hiroko 「どう？気に入った？」 Do you like it?

Naomi 「ええ。とても気に入ったわ。」 Yeah, I like it very much. (Literally: I became fond of it very much)

Naomi will not say とても好きだわ. You cannot use 好き for the thing you have just received. You can use 好き only after you become fond of it, which takes some time.

昨日、ミスチルの新曲を聞いた。私はその曲がとても好きだった。 (Incorrect) I heard the new song by Mr. Children yesterday. I liked it very much.

昨日、ミスチルの新曲を聞いた。私はその曲がとても気に入った。 (Correct) I heard the new song by Mr. Children yesterday. I liked it very much.

You can read this article in Japanese.
http://meadowlake001.blogspot.jp/2014/12/the-difference-between-to-like-and.html

Tips on Japanese

http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~meadowlake/verbs.html