El Verbo “GUSTAR” En español gustar significa “to be pleasing” In English, the equivalent is “to like”
Por ejemplo: In English we say: “I like Spanish.” En español decimos: “To me, Spanish is pleasing.”
I like the beach. In English: En español: “I” is the subject “like” is the verb “the beach” is the direct object En español: “the beach” is the subject “to please” is the verb “me” is the indirect object
The word order is actually “backwards”: En Español…: The word order is actually “backwards”: The indirect object comes first: Me Then the verb: gusta Finally the subject of the verb: la playa. Make it negative by adding “no” before the indirect object.
Indirect Object Pronouns: Who is doing the “liking”? Indirect Object Pronouns: me te le nos os les
“Gusta” = singular nouns = infinitives “Gustan” = plural nouns
= I like… Me gusta… / Me gustan… You like… Te gusta… / Te gustan… Le gusta… / Le gustan… Nos gusta… / Nos gustan… Os gusta… / Os gustan… Les gusta… / Les gustan… I like… You like… He/She/You (Ud.) like(s)… We like… You all (Spain only) like… They /You all (Uds.) like… =
“Coffee is pleasing to me.” ¿Cómo se dice? “I like coffee.” Me gusta el café. “Coffee is pleasing to me.”
“Cars are pleasing to you.” ¿Cómo se dice? “You like cars.” Te gustan los coches. “Cars are pleasing to you.”
¿Cómo se dice? “He doesn’t like to dance.” No le gusta bailar. “To dance is not pleasing to him.”
“The teachers please us.” ¿Cómo se dice? “We like the teachers.” los profesores. Nos gustan “The teachers please us.”
¿Cómo se dice? “You all (Uds.) don’t like to go to the movies.” No les gusta ir al cine. “To go to the movies is not pleasing to you all (Uds.).”
¿Cómo se dice? “They like geography and Spanish.” la geografía y el español. Les gustan “Geography and Spanish are pleasing to them.”
Frases de clarificación (A phrases): He likes to swim. She likes to swim. You (Usted) like to swim. “Le gusta nadar.” They like the beach. You all (ustedes) like the beach. “Les gusta la playa.”
Frases de clarificación/énfasis: Me = a mí Te = a ti Le = a él a ella a Ud. (a Roberto) (a Lola) (a tu hermano) Nos = a nosotros Os = a vosotros Les = a ellos a ellas a Uds. (a Roberto y a Luis) (a Lola y a Carmen) (a mis amigos)
Remember: The word order is actually “backwards”: En Español…: Remember: The word order is actually “backwards”: Clarification phrase is first (if needed/desired): A él The indirect object comes next: le Then the verb: gusta Finally the subject of the verb: la playa. Make it negative by adding “no” before the indirect object.
¿Cómo se dice en español? I like to study. Elena likes to watch television. We don’t like to walk the dog. Carlos and Miguel like cars. Do you all like to talk on the phone? You like to go to the mall, right? (A mí) me gusta estudiar. A Elena le gusta mirar la televisión. (A nosotros) no nos gusta caminar con el perro. A Carlos y a Miguel les gustan los coches. ¿A ustedes les gusta hablar por teléfono? (A ti) te gusta ir al centro comercial, ¿verdad?