If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your screen, wondering why Spanish seems to flip its sentences upside down, you’re not alone. One of the first and most common hurdles for English speakers is the verb gustar (to like).
You logically think:
- "I" is yo.
- "like" is gustar.
- "pizza" is la pizza.
So, it must be "Yo gusto la pizza," right? Wrong! And if you say this to a native speaker, you might get a confused smile.
Don't worry, this isn't a mistake—it's your first big step into thinking like a Spanish speaker! Let's break down why it's me gusta and how mastering this one concept will unlock a huge part of the Spanish language.
The Big Secret: It's Not a "Backwards" Verb!
Many teachers call gustar a "backwards verb," but that's a bit misleading. The secret isn't that the verb is backwards; it's that the sentence structure is different.
In English, we say: "I like the music."
- Subject: I (the person doing the liking)
- Verb: like
- Object: the music (the thing being liked)
In Spanish, the perspective shifts completely. You don't actively "like" something. Instead, the thing is pleasing to you.
So, "Me gusta la música" literally translates to: "The music is pleasing to me."
- Subject: La música (The music, the thing causing the feeling)
- Verb: gusta (is pleasing)
- Indirect Object: Me (to me)
The Golden Rule of Gustar
Stop thinking "I like..." and start thinking "It is pleasing to me..." This simple mental switch will make gustar and verbs like it click into place.
Breaking Down "Me Gusta"
Let's dissect the phrase Me gusta el café ("I like the coffee") piece by piece.
- Me: This is an indirect object pronoun. It simply means "to me." It's the person receiving the feeling of pleasure.
- Gusta: This is the verb
gustarconjugated. But wait! Who is it conjugated for? It’s conjugated for el café! Since el café is an "it" (third-person singular), we use gusta. - El café: This is the subject of the sentence. It's the thing doing the "pleasing."
Here are the other pronouns you'll need. Notice how they tell you who is being pleased.
| Pronoun | Meaning | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|
| Me | to me | Me gusta el libro. |
| Te | to you (informal) | Te gusta el libro. |
| Le | to him/her/you (formal) | Le gusta el libro. |
| Nos | to us | Nos gusta el libro. |
| Os | to you all (Spain) | Os gusta el libro. |
| Les | to them/you all | Les gusta el libro. |
What About Plurals? Gusta vs. Gustan
This is where the concept really solidifies. If the thing being liked is the subject, what happens when you like more than one thing? The verb has to change to match the plural subject!
Me gusta la manzana. (The apple is pleasing to me.)
Me gustan las manzanas. (The apples are pleasing to me.)
The only two forms of gustar you'll use most of the time are gusta (for singular things or verbs) and gustan (for plural things).
- Me gusta correr. (I like to run.) - Use
gustafor verbs. - Le gusta el perro. (He/She likes the dog.) - Use
gustafor singular nouns. - Nos gustan los perros. (We like the dogs.) - Use
gustanfor plural nouns.
Ready to test your knowledge?
Which form of 'gustar' completes this sentence? 'A ti te ___ las películas de acción.'
Adding Emphasis with A mí, A ti, A él...
You've probably heard people say, "A mí me gusta el helado." What's that "a mí" doing there?
This is an optional phrase used for clarification or emphasis. It translates to "To me..."
- Emphasis: "As for me, ice cream is pleasing to me."
- Clarification:
Le gustacan be ambiguous. Does it mean "he likes," "she likes," or "you (formal) like"? UsingA él le gustaorA ella le gustamakes it crystal clear.
Gustar Has Friends! Other Verbs That Work This Way
The best part is that once you understand gustar, you've automatically learned how a whole family of other important Spanish verbs works! Find out more about gustar and similar verbs.
- Encantar: to love (something), to delight
Me encanta la comida mexicana. (Mexican food delights me.)
- Interesar: to interest
¿Te interesan los documentales? (Are documentaries interesting to you?)
- Importar: to matter, to be important
No nos importa el precio. (The price doesn't matter to us.)
- Doler: to hurt, to ache
Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts me.)
So, Can You Ever Say "Yo Gusto"?
Finally, let's circle back to the original question. Does "Yo gusto" ever make sense?
Yes, but it means something entirely different and can get you into some awkward situations if used incorrectly!
Yo gusto means "I am pleasing" or "I am liked (by others)." You're saying that you are the one who is attractive or appealing to someone else.
Use With Caution!
Saying "Yo gusto la pizza" is grammatically incorrect. But saying "Yo gusto" by itself implies "People like me" or "I'm attractive." For example, "Yo le gusto a Carlos" means "Carlos likes me." It's a valid sentence, but probably not what you're trying to say when talking about pizza!
The Takeaway
Learning how gustar works is a rite of passage for every Spanish student. It feels strange at first, but it's a fundamental concept that reveals the beauty and different perspective of the Spanish language.
Remember the golden rule: Things are pleasing to you.
Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be talking about all the things you love—¡las cosas que te gustan!—without a second thought. Ready to put it into practice? Hop into the InkLingo app and try building some sentences with gustar and its friends! You can even explore our Spanish Stories to see these concepts in action.