Learning Spanish Grammar and the verb "Gustar"
Learning Spanish Grammar and the Verb "Gustar"
by Patrick Jackson © Patrick Jackson - All Rights Reserved 2004
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Learning Spanish Grammar and
the Verb "Gustar"
If there's one verb that gave me a lot of trouble when I first
started learning Spanish grammar that verb was "gustar." Many of
the Spanish lessons and Spanish classes that I took in order to
learn Spanish only confused me even more about the use of
"gustar." "Gustar" means "to be pleasing to" or "to find
pleasant." But in many instances, Spanish speakers use it the
same way that we use the verb "to like." For example, in Spanish
you don't literally say: "I like the dog."
In Spanish you would say: "Me gusta el perro".
That literally means "the dog is pleasing to me." Actually, it
means "it pleases me the dog."
It may sound strange to your English-hearing ears. But you will
get used to it. Let's try it.
I like the house. Me gusta la casa.
I don't like the car. No me gusta el carro.
You like the table. Te gusta la mesa.
He likes the screen/monitor. Le gusta la pantalla. We like the
bridge. Nos gusta el puente.
They like to lie. Les gusta mentir.
If you want to say "I like the dogs," a couple of changes have
to take place. Can you guess what those changes are? Of course
dog ("perro") must now become plural ("perros"). But the article
("el") must also become plural ("los"). And the verb must change
from third person singular ("gusta") to third person plural
('gustan").
Let's try it:
I like the dogs. Me gustan los perros.
You like the lakes Te gustan los lagos.
She likes the streams Le gustan los arroyos.
We like the rivers. Nos gustan los ríos.
They like the waterfalls. Les gustan las cataratas.
The following is the manner that we add clarity or emphasis, or
mention the name of the person or persons that the object is
pleasing to.
A Carlos le gusta nadar. Carlos likes to swim.
A mí me gusta la playa. I like the beach.
A ti te gusta la orilla del mar. You like the seashore.
The boys like the forest. A los chicos les gusta el bosque.
They like the pool. A ellos les gusta la piscina.
There are quite a few verbs in Spanish that follow the same
construction as the verb "gustar." Here are just a few.
Importar (to be important to) Interesar (to be interesting to)
Faltar (to be lacking to) Molestar (to bother or to annoy - note
that this word does not mean to "molest") Encantar (to like)
I have also been confused about when to use "gustar." Despite
what the textbooks say, you can use "gustar" to indicate that
you like someone as in "being physically attracted to someone."
For example,
Tú me gustas. I like you.
Me gusta Carmen. I like Carmen.
But if you want to say that you like someone as in "I get along
well with (name)," there's a different way to say it.
Me cae bien Carmen. I like Carmen or I get along well with
Carmen. Literally, it means "Carmen falls well on me."
No me cae bien María. I don't like María or I don't get along
well with María.
No me caes bien tú, Or, Tú no me caes bien. I don't get along
well with you.
Let's do a few exercises with "gustar." Translate the following
sentences adding emphasis on the person or persons that the
object is pleasing to. The answers appear below.
1. I like the cats. 2. You like the wedding. (Add emphasis to
"you" using the familiar form of "you.") 3. Joseph likes the
building. 4. We like the shirts. 5. All of you like the insects.
(Add emphasis to "all of you")
Answers: 1.A mí me gustan los gatos. 2.A ti te gusta la boda.
3.A José le gusta el edificio. 4.A nosotros nos gustan las
camisas. 5.A ustedes les gustan los insectos.
