Verb gustar – verb to like in spanish –

like is the spanish verb used for express one’s likes. Exposing our personal preferences is one of the first forms of communication we learn. It is also something that defines us: our identity is also formed by the things we like.

There is a Spanish expression that says For tastes, los colors, indicating that, just as there are many colors, there are also many tastes, as they vary from person to person. In this text, we will learn how to form the verb like in Spanish, the pronouns that accompany it, its interrogative and negative forms, and also how to compare tastes.

Read too: Verbs haber It is have in Spanish – structure and uses

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verb uses like

The verb like there is one structure Special in Spanish. A standard sentence in this language consists of subject, verb and complements (such as direct and indirect objects), in that order. In case of likethe first element of the sentence is an indirect object pronoun, followed by the verb like, conjugated always in third person singular or plural. The thing you like comes at the end of the sentence. Note the following example:

I like to speak Spanish.

(I like to speak Spanish.)

Me and the indirect object pronoun corresponding to the person yothat is, to the first person singular; like is the verb like conjugated in the third person singular, and speak spanish it’s the thing you like.

with the verb like do not use straight case personal pronouns (called tonic personal pronouns in Spanish). These pronouns are used as a subject in a sentence (yo, you, usted etc.), but, as we have seen, the structure of the verb like its special. Instead, it is mandatory to use the indirect object pronouns corresponding to each person of the verb. The indirect object pronouns in Spanish are:

It is common, in Spanish, to also use indirect object pronouns preceded by the preposition The at the beginning of a sentence with the verb like. Such use is optional and its function is to give emphasis to the sentence:

Examples:

Don’t stop now… There’s more after the publicity 😉

The parts to me It is to them in the previous examples are optional: even if we omit them, the clauses will keep their meanings unchanged:

However, it is not possible to omit the pronouns Me It is less of these prayers, because they would be incorrectgrammatically speaking.

I like to go to the park with friends.
A ellos gustan las uvas.

After the direct object pronouns comes the verb like. Unlike other conjugations, like is inflected exclusively in the third person singular or plural. The singular form of the verb is like, used when the thing you like is a singular noun or an infinitive verb. Examples:

On the other hand, the plural form gustan is used when the thing you like is a plural noun or several singular nouns. Examples:

Despite what the last example might seem like, when the thing you like involves more than one verb, like remains in its singular form like. Example:

We like to go on a bike and run.

(We like to ride our bikes and run.)

This verb structure like It remains the same in interrogative and negative sentences. See the examples:

Contrasts between tastes

To find out if someone likes or dislikes the same thing as you, in Spanish we use specific phrases. Take the following affirmative sentence as an example:

A mí me gustan los legumbres.

(I like vegetables.)

If the other participant in the dialogue also likes vegetables, his answer will be Me too (Me too). If he doesn’t like it, his response will be me not (I am not). Now let’s look at this negative sentence:

I don’t like the heat.

(I do not like heat.)

If the other participant doesn’t like the heat either, your answer will be Me too (Me neither). If, on the other hand, he disagrees and likes the heat, his response will be to myself (I like). In short:

See too: The conjunctions – the words that help in the articulation of sentences and texts

solved exercises

Question 1 – Choose the correct prayer from the two options:

The) A ellos gusta la carne argentina. / Les gusta la carne argentina.

B) I like to play tennis. / I like to play tennis.

w) She likes to travel. / Ella le gusta travel.

d) Me no gusta el tequila. / No me gusta el tequila.

Resolution

The) Les gusta la carne argentina. less is mandatory in this prayer.

B) I like to play tennis. like is conjugated in the singular when the object is a verb.

w) She likes to travel. to her is optional, but if used, must contain the preposition The.

d) No me gusta el tequila. Nothing comes between the personal pronoun and the verb. like.

Question 2 – Choose the correct pronoun from the two options:

The) Roberto me/le gusta jugar al baloncesto.

B) A vosotros os/les charme to go by bike.

w) Do you like to walk?

d) A mí me/nos gusta leer.

Resolution

The) lebecause Roberto is third person el.

B) youbecause it is the pronoun referring to the person vothers.

w) youbecause it refers to the person youexpressed in the pronoun you.

d) meas it is a person’s personal pronoun yoexpressed in the pronoun mi.

By Diego Guimarães Gontijo
Spanish teacher