gustaría
/goos-tah-REE-ah/
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Me gustaría un vaso de agua, por favor.
A2I would like a glass of water, please.
¿Te gustaría ir al cine este fin de semana?
A2Would you like to go to the movies this weekend?
A mis padres les gustaría conocerte.
B1My parents would like to meet you.
Nos gustaría saber más sobre el proyecto.
B1We would like to know more about the project.
💡 Grammar Points
A Softer Way to Ask and Wish
Use 'gustaría' to sound more polite, just like saying 'I would like' instead of 'I want' in English. It's perfect for ordering food, making invitations, or talking about dreams.
The 'Backwards' Verb
Think of 'gustar' as 'to be pleasing to'. So, 'Me gustaría un café' literally means 'A coffee would be pleasing TO ME'. The thing you like is the star of the sentence.
Singular vs. Plural: 'gustaría' or 'gustarían'?
Use 'gustaría' when you would like ONE thing (or an action). Use 'gustarían' when you would like MORE THAN ONE thing. Example: 'Me gustaría el libro' (the book) vs. 'Me gustarían los zapatos' (the shoes).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'me', 'te', 'le'
Mistake: "Yo gustaría un café."
Correction: Me gustaría un café. Verbs like 'gustar' always need a little word (me, te, le, nos, os, les) in front to show WHO finds something pleasing.
Mixing up 'gustaría' and 'quiero'
Mistake: "Using 'Quiero un café' in a formal restaurant."
Correction: Use 'Me gustaría un café, por favor.' While 'Quiero' isn't rude, 'gustaría' is more polite and standard in service situations, just like 'I would like' is more polite than 'I want'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Dreaming Big
Use 'Me gustaría + [action verb]' to talk about things you hope or wish to do. For example, 'Me gustaría aprender a tocar la guitarra' (I would like to learn to play the guitar).
Making Gentle Suggestions
You can use 'gustaría' to make a suggestion to someone else. For example, '¿No te gustaría descansar un poco?' (Wouldn't you like to rest a little?).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: gustaría
Question 1 of 2
How would you correctly say 'I would like those shoes'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'me gustaría' and 'me gusta'?
'Me gusta' means 'I like' (in general, right now). 'Me gustaría' means 'I would like' (a wish, a hope, or a polite request). Use 'me gusta' for facts ('Me gusta el chocolate') and 'me gustaría' for wishes ('Me gustaría un chocolate ahora').
Can I just say 'Gustaría un café'?
No, you can't. Verbs like 'gustar' always need the little word in front (me, te, le, etc.) to specify who is doing the liking. It tells us *who* the coffee would be pleasing *to*. So you must say 'Me gustaría un café'.
Is 'gustaría' only for 'I'? How do other people say it?
No, it works for everyone! You just change the little word in front: 'Te gustaría' (You would like), 'Le gustaría' (He/She/You formal would like), 'Nos gustaría' (We would like), 'Les gustaría' (They/You all would like).