gustan
“gustan” means “they are pleasing to” in Spanish (The literal meaning, used to say 'someone likes' multiple things.).
they are pleasing toAlso: to like (plural things)
📝 In Action
Me gustan los gatos.
A1I like cats.
¿Te gustan las verduras?
A1Do you like vegetables?
A mis amigos les gustan los videojuegos.
A2My friends like video games.
Nos gustan las mañanas tranquilas.
B1We like quiet mornings.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: gustan
Question 1 of 1
How do you correctly say 'She likes the flowers' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Latin word 'gustāre', which means 'to taste'. The idea is that things you like have a good 'taste' to you, so they are pleasing.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I use 'gustan' for plural things? Why doesn't the verb match the person?
Because 'gustar' doesn't mean 'to like' directly. It means 'to be pleasing to'. So, when you say 'Me gustan los libros', you're really saying 'The books are pleasing to me'. The books are doing the 'pleasing', so the verb matches them.
Can I just say 'Gustan los deportes' without 'me', 'te', or 'le'?
Not usually. A sentence with 'gustan' almost always needs a word like 'me', 'te', 'le', etc., to say *who* finds the things pleasing. Without it, we don't know who likes the sports!