Inklingo

How to Say "to like" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to like” is “gustar” — use 'gustar' to express a general preference or liking for things, activities, or people, often in a passive way. Remember that the subject in Spanish is the thing being liked, and the person liking is the indirect object..

English → Spanish

gustar

/goos-TAR//ɡusˈtaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'gustar' to express a general preference or liking for things, activities, or people, often in a passive way. Remember that the subject in Spanish is the thing being liked, and the person liking is the indirect object.
A smiling child holds a bright red apple, showing clear enjoyment and preference for the fruit.

Examples

Me gusta mucho el chocolate.

I really like chocolate. (Literally: Chocolate is very pleasing to me.)

Nos gustan las películas de acción.

We like action movies. (The verb 'gustan' is plural because 'películas' is plural.)

¿Te gusta viajar a otros países?

Do you like traveling to other countries?

The 'Backwards' Verb Rule

Unlike English, the person doing the liking is not the main subject. The thing being liked is the subject, and the verb must agree with it. Use 'gusta' for singular things/activities, and 'gustan' for plural things.

The Required 'Me/Te/Le' Structure

You MUST use the small pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to show who is doing the liking. This pronoun is essential and cannot be dropped.

Using 'Yo gusto' to say 'I like'

Mistake: “Yo gusto el café.”

Correction: Me gusta el café. (The correct way is 'The coffee is pleasing to me.')

Forgetting the Plural Form

Mistake: “Me gusta los perros.”

Correction: Me gustan los perros. (Since 'perros' is plural, the verb must be 'gustan.')

disfrutar

/dis-fru-TAR//dis.fɾuˈtaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'disfrutar' when you want to emphasize the active enjoyment or savoring of an experience, activity, or situation.
A child sits happily under a tree, taking a bite out of a bright red apple with a wide smile, illustrating the concept of enjoyment.

Examples

¿Estás disfrutando de tus vacaciones?

Are you enjoying your vacation?

Disfruto mucho leer libros de historia.

I really enjoy reading history books.

Ella disfruta la tranquilidad de vivir en el campo.

She enjoys the quietness of living in the countryside.

Using 'de' (Optional)

You can use 'disfrutar' either directly with the thing you enjoy ('disfrutar la música') or by adding 'de' ('disfrutar de la música'). Both ways are correct, but using 'de' is often slightly more common or formal in some regions.

Reflexive Use for 'Enjoy Yourself'

If you want to say 'enjoy yourself' (meaning 'have a good time'), you use the reflexive form: '¡Que te disfrutes!' or '¡Que lo disfrutes!' (Enjoy it!).

Mixing up 'Enjoy' and 'Like'

Mistake: “Me disfruto el chocolate. (I enjoy the chocolate.)”

Correction: Disfruto el chocolate. OR Me gusta el chocolate. (I like the chocolate.) 'Disfrutar' usually refers to experiencing pleasure during an action, not just a general preference.

Gustar vs. Disfrutar

Learners often confuse 'gustar' and 'disfrutar' by using 'gustar' for active enjoyment. While 'gustar' is for general preference (I like pizza), 'disfrutar' is for actively savoring something (I am enjoying the concert).

Related Translations

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