A1 Spanish grammar
Gustar in Spanish: Say What You Like Clearly
Gustar in Spanish works differently from English like. The thing liked controls gusta or gustan, while me, te, le, nos, os, or les identifies the person who experiences the liking.
Build gustar in Spanish around the thing liked
Think of Me gusta el café as Coffee is pleasing to me. This explains why café controls gusta.
Me gusta el café.Quick check
Choose “I like coffee.”
Choose gusta or gustan
Use gusta with one noun or an infinitive and gustan with a plural noun.
Nos gustan los libros.Clarify le and les
Add a María, a él, or a mis amigos when context does not make the person clear.
A Marta le gusta bailar.Common mistakes
Yo gusto café.
Me gusta el café.
Use an indirect object pronoun; café controls gusta.
Me gusta los libros.
Me gustan los libros.
Plural libros requires gustan.
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Gustar FAQ
Why does gustar work backwards?
Spanish structures the idea around the thing being pleasing to someone.
When do I use gustan?
Use gustan when the thing liked is plural.
Does an infinitive use gusta or gustan?
An infinitive normally uses gusta: Me gusta leer.
Why say a María le gusta?
The a phrase clarifies who le refers to.