USING THE VERB GUSTAR

 

Gustar literally translated means = To Be Pleasing.  Gustar is conjugated like a regular -ar verb; however, to select the correct conjugation, one must know “what it is that is pleasing or not pleasing” to someone.

 

Example:  (A mí) me gusta la clase....literally means, “The class is pleasing to me.” But, since English speakers do not usually go around saying, “this or that is pleasing to me” or “is this or that pleasing to you?”, Me gusta la clase is translated “I like the class.”  The choice of “gusta” or “gustan” is based on what is being “liked” or “not liked”.

         

The Spanish words in parenthesis are used for emphasis or clarification, they are not required, but when using “le or les”, it is recommended that they be used.

 

 

I like (something singular)...                  (A mí) me gusta...

I like (something plural)...                    (A mí) me gustan...

 

You (fam.) like (something singular)...         (A tí) te gusta...

You (fam.) like (something plural)...           (A tí) te gustan...

 

He likes (something singular)...                (A él) le gusta...

He likes (something plural)...                  (A él) le gustan...

 

She likes (something singular)...               (A ella) le gusta...

She likes (something plural)...                 (A ella) le gustan...

 

You (for.) like (something singular)...         (A usted) le gusta...

You (for.) like (something plural)...           (A usted) le gustan...

 

They like (something singular)...               (A ellos/ellas) les gusta...

They like (something plural)...                 (A ellos/ellas) les gustan...

 

You (pl.) like (something singular)...          (A ustedes) les gusta...

You (pl.) like (something plural)...            (A ustedes) les gustan...

 

We like (something singular)...                 (A nosotros/as) nos gusta...

We like (something plural)...                   (A nosotros/as) nos gustan...

 

 

Proper names or nouns:

 

Juan likes (something singular)...              (A Juan) le gusta...

Maria likes (something plural)...               (A Maria) le gustan...

 

The students like (something singular)...       (A los estudiantes) les gusta...

Teresa and Jose like (something plural)...      (A Teresa y Jose) les gustan...

 

 

 

Process for translating from English to Spanish when using GUSTAR phrases:

 

Subject             Verb            Direct Object

Sample phrase in English:        I                like             the  bread

 

 

 

                        Indirect Obj. Pronoun     Verb            Subject

Spanish translation:             Me               gusta           el pan

 

 

Step:

 

1.    Determine subject in English phrase and select the appropriate Spanish Indirect Object Pronoun

           

            English Subjects              Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns

            I                       =                 Me

           

            You (fam.)              =                 Te

           

            He, She, You (for.),    =                 Le

            or any other singular

            noun except “I” or

            “You (fam.)”

           

            They, You (pl.), any    =                 Les

            other plural noun

            except “We” or nouns

            referring to “we”

 

            We or nouns referring   =                 Nos

            to we                  

 

 

2.    Determine Direct Object in the English phrase and translate it into Spanish.  This word becomes the subject in the Spanish phrase.

 

 

3.    Determine if the Direct Object in the English phrase is a singular noun or plural noun.  If it is singular the verb to use is “gusta”, if it is plural the verb to use is “gustan”.

 

 

4.    Add a clarifying phrase if needed for emphasis or clarification.

 

If the Spanish phrase includes the word “me”, you can add “a mí” for emphasis.

 

If the Spanish phrase includes the word “te”, you can add “a tí” for emphasis.

 

If the Spanish phrase includes the word “le”, you should add “a él”, “a ella”, “a usted”, or  “a + sing. noun” for clarification purposes.

 

If the Spanish phrase includes the word “les”, you should add “a ellos”, “a ellas”, “a ustedes” or “a + plural noun” for clarification purposes.

 

If the Spanish phrase includes the word “nos”, you can add “a nosotros/as” for emphasis.

 

 

 

                  IN THE ENGLISH                            IN THE SPANISH

PHRASE THE...                             PHRASE THE ....

 

 

SUBJECT                 BECOMES           INIDRECT OBJECT PRONOUN            

 

 

VERB                    BECOMES           VERB

 

 

                  DIRECT OBJECT           BECOMES           SUBJECT