The Verb 'Gustar': Expressing Likes

In English, we say 'I like something,' making 'I' the subject. Spanish is different. The verb gustar literally means 'to be pleasing to'. The thing that is liked is the subject of the sentence, and the person who likes it is the object.

The Core Structure

The formula is: Indirect Object Pronoun + gusta or gustan + The Thing(s) You Like

1. The Indirect Object Pronoun

This little word says who is doing the liking:

• me (to me)
• te (to you, informal)
• le (to him, to her, to you formal)
• nos (to us)
• les (to them, to you all)

2. gusta vs. gustan

This is the most important part! The verb changes based on what you like, not who likes it.

• Use gusta when the thing you like is singular or is an activity (a verb).

  • Me gusta el libro. (I like the book. / The book is pleasing to me.)
  • A ella le gusta bailar. (She likes to dance. / To dance is pleasing to her.)

• Use gustan when the things you like are plural.

  • Me gustan los libros. (I like the books. / The books are pleasing to me.)
  • A ellos les gustan las flores. (They like the flowers. / The flowers are pleasing to them.)

Adding Emphasis (Optional)

Sometimes you'll see A mí, A ti, A él, etc. at the beginning of the sentence. This is used for emphasis or to clarify who le or les refers to.

• A mí me gusta el helado. (I like ice cream.)
• A Juan le gusta el helado. (Juan likes ice cream.)