Learning Spanish and the Verb Gustar
If there’s one verb that gave me a heap of hassle once I first started learning Spanish grammar that verb was “gustar.”
Several of the Spanish lessons and Spanish classes that I took in order to find out Spanish solely confused me even additional
regarding the employment of “gustar.” “Gustar” suggests that “to be pleasing to” or “to seek out pleasant.” But in several instances, Spanish
speakers use it the identical means that we tend to use the verb “to like.”
As an example, in Spanish you don’t literally say:
“I like the dog.”
In Spanish you would say:
“Me gusta el perro”.
That literally means that “the dog is agreeable to me.”
Actually, it means that “it pleases me the dog.”
It might sound strange to your English-hearing ears. But you may get
used to it. Let’s try it.
I like the house.
Me gusta la casa.
I don’t like the car.
No me gusta el carro.
You wish the table.
Te gusta la mesa.
He likes the screen/monitor.
Le gusta la pantalla.
We have a tendency to just like the bridge.
Nos gusta el puente.
They like to lie.
Les gusta mentir.
If you want to say “I like the dogs,” a couple of changes have
to require place. Can you guess what those changes are?
Of course dog (“perro”) should currently become plural (“perros”).
However the article (“el”) must conjointly become plural (“los”).
And the verb must modification from third person singular (“gusta”) to
third person plural (“gustan”).
Let’s try it:
I like the dogs.
Me gustan los perros.
You wish the lakes
Te gustan los lagos.
She likes the streams
Le gustan los arroyos.
We have a tendency to like the rivers.
Nos gustan los ríos.
They just like the waterfalls.
Les gustan las cataratas.
The following is the manner that we have a tendency to add clarity or emphasis, or mention the name of the person
or persons that the thing is pleasing to.
A Carlos le gusta nadar.
Carlos likes to swim.
A mí me gusta la playa.
I just like the beach.
A ti te gusta la orilla del mar.
You like the seashore.
The boys just like the forest.
A los chicos les gusta el bosque.
They just like the pool.
A ellos les gusta la piscina.
There are quite a few verbs in Spanish that follow the identical construction because the verb “gustar.”
Here are just a few.
Importar (to be necessary to)
Interesar (to be fascinating to)
Faltar (to be lacking to)
Molestar (to hassle or to harass – note that this word will not mean to “molest”)
Encantar (to like)
I’ve got additionally been confused about when to use “gustar.” Despite what the textbooks say,
you’ll be able to use “gustar” to point that you prefer someone as in “being physically engaging to someone.”
For instance,
Tú me gustas.
I prefer you.
Me gusta Carmen.
I prefer Carmen.
But if you wish to mention that you like somebody as in “I purchase along well with (name),”
there’s a different means to say it.
Me cae bien Carmen.
I favor Carmen or I purchase along well with Carmen. Literally, it suggests that “Carmen falls well on me.”
No me cae bien María.
I don’t like María or I don’t get along well with María.
No me caes bien tú, Or, Tú no me caes bien.
I don’t get along well with you.
Let’s do a few exercises with “gustar.” Translate the following sentences adding emphasis on the person or persons that the thing is pleasant to. The answers appear below.
1. I just like the cats.
2. You like the wedding. (Add stress to “you” using the acquainted form of “you.”)
3. Joseph likes the building.
4. We just like the shirts.
5. All of you like the insects. (Add stress to “all of you”)
Answers:
1. A mí me gustan los gatos.
2. A ti te gusta la boda.
3. A José le gusta el edificio.
4. A nosotros nos gustan las camisas.
5. A ustedes les gustan los insectos.
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