Expressing your preferences in Spanish hinges on understanding how to conjugate and use the verb “gustar” (to like). This guide will help you navigate its unique structure and various tenses, enabling you to confidently share what you enjoy.
The Basics
“Gustar” stands out in Spanish because it’s typically used in a way that translates to “to be pleasing to” in English. This means the subject of the sentence in Spanish often corresponds to the object in English.
For example:
- “Me gusta el café” = “Coffee pleases me” (I like coffee)
- “Te gustan los libros” = “Books please you” (You like books)
Present Tense (Presente)
The most common forms are:
- (A mí) me gusta / gustan
- (A ti) te gusta / gustan
- (A él/ella/usted) le gusta / gustan
- (A nosotros) nos gusta / gustan
- (A vosotros) os gusta / gustan (used in Spain)
- (A ellos/ellas/ustedes) les gusta / gustan
Examples:
- Me gusta la música. (I like music.)
- Le gustan las películas de acción. (He/She likes action movies.)
- Nos gusta viajar. (We like to travel.)
Preterite (Pretérito)
Used for completed actions in the past:
- (A mí) me gustó / gustaron
- (A ti) te gustó / gustaron
- (A él/ella/usted) le gustó / gustaron
- (A nosotros) nos gustó / gustaron
- (A vosotros) os gustó / gustaron (used in Spain)
- (A ellos/ellas/ustedes) les gustó / gustaron
Examples:
- Me gustó la fiesta anoche. (I liked the party last night.)
- Les gustaron los regalos. (They liked the gifts.)
Imperfect (Imperfecto)
Used for habitual or ongoing actions in the past:
- (A mí) me gustaba / gustaban
- (A ti) te gustaba / gustaban
- (A él/ella/usted) le gustaba / gustaban
- (A nosotros) nos gustaba / gustaban
- (A vosotros) os gustaba / gustaban (used in Spain)
- (A ellos/ellas/ustedes) les gustaba / gustaban
Examples:
- De niño, me gustaban los dibujos animados. (As a child, I used to like cartoons.)
- A ella le gustaba estudiar por la noche. (She used to like studying at night.)
Future (Futuro)
Used for future preferences:
- (A mí) me gustará / gustarán
- (A ti) te gustará / gustarán
- (A él/ella/usted) le gustará / gustarán
- (A nosotros) nos gustará / gustarán
- (A vosotros) os gustará / gustarán (used in Spain)
- (A ellos/ellas/ustedes) les gustará / gustarán
Examples:
- Estoy seguro de que te gustará la nueva película. (I’m sure you’ll like the new movie.)
- Les gustarán los cambios en la oficina. (They will like the changes in the office.)
Key Points to Remember
- “Gustar” is most commonly used in the third person (gusta/gustan).
- Use “gusta” with singular nouns or infinitives, and “gustan” with plural nouns.
- The pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) indicates who is doing the liking.
- You can emphasize or clarify who’s doing the liking by adding “A mí”, “A ti”, etc. at the beginning of the sentence.
Practice Makes Perfect
By mastering these conjugations and understanding the unique structure of “gustar”, you’ll be able to express your likes and dislikes fluently in Spanish across various tenses. Practice with different subjects and tenses to become more comfortable with this essential verb.