| In Spanish, there is no literal equivalent to the | | | | If what is liked is singular or if it is an action that is |
| English verb ‘to like’, in fact the nearest in | | | | liked you would use gusta, and if what is liked is |
| both meaning and, more importantly, in the way | | | | plural you would use gustan. |
| that it is used, is the verb gustar, which literally | | | | The present tense singular/plural looks like this: |
| translated means ‘to please’. | | | | Me gusta/gustan I like...or, I like it |
| To emphasize this; if you were to say in English, | | | | Te gusta/gustan You like...or, you |
| ‘I like my coffee strong’, the Spanish | | | | like it |
| equivalent when translated would be ‘Strong | | | | Le gusta/gustan He/She/You |
| coffee pleases me’. | | | | like...or, he/she/you like it |
| The use of the verb gustar is actually very simple | | | | Nos gusta We like...or, we like it |
| compared to other Spanish verbs. | | | | Os gusta/gustan You like...or, you |
| Gustar doesn’t follow any of the traditional | | | | like it |
| Spanish verb patterns, be they regular or irregular | | | | Les gusta/gustan They/you like...or, |
| and it only ever uses the third person forms, no | | | | they/you like it. |
| matter what the tense. | | | | Here are some examples: |
| The construction of a sentence using the verb | | | | Me gusta el deporte. I like sport |
| gustar is the opposite as it is in English. I will | | | | Nos gusta España We like Spain |
| explain in good old grammatical terms; the English | | | | A Juan le gusta cocinar. Juan likes cooking. |
| subject becomes the indirect object and the | | | | And in the plural: |
| English object becomes the subject. | | | | Me gustan los deportes I like sports |
| Now to put that into English that everyone will | | | | Nos gustan las naranjas We like |
| understand. | | | | oranges |
| If you look at the example ‘I like my coffee | | | | Les gustan los perros They like the |
| strong’, in this sentence ‘I’ is the | | | | dogs. |
| subject and ‘coffee’ is the object, | | | | Gustar isn’t the only Spanish verb that is |
| whereas – the sentence, ‘Strong coffee | | | | used in the this way, encantar ‘to enchant |
| pleases me’, ‘coffee’ is the subject | | | | love’, apetecer ‘to fancy/crave for’ |
| and ‘me’ is the indirect object. | | | | quedar ‘to stay/remain’, faltar ‘to be |
| As I have said, gustar is only used in the third | | | | missing’, parecer ‘to seem’, and doler |
| person and this is because it relates to what is | | | | ‘to hurt/ache/mourn’ are a few of the |
| liked rather than whom or what likes it. | | | | common verbs that are used in the same way. |