How gustar works: me gusta vs me gustan, a mí, and the verbs like it
Gustar is the first Spanish verb that refuses to behave like English, and it confuses learners for years because they keep translating “I like”. The fix is to stop translating and see the sentence the way Spanish does: the thing you like is the subject, and you are the person it pleases. Everything else follows.
The sentence is backwards
English: I like coffee. Subject: I. Object: coffee.
Spanish: Me gusta el café. Literally: Coffee is pleasing to me. Subject: el café. Indirect object: me.
Once you accept that el café is the subject, the two rules that cause all the mistakes become obvious: the verb agrees with the coffee, not with you, and “you” has to be an indirect object pronoun.
Rule 1: gusta or gustan depends on the thing
| Thing liked | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| one thing (singular noun) | me gusta el café | I like coffee |
| several things (plural noun) | me gustan los gatos | I like cats |
| an activity (infinitive) | me gusta nadar | I like swimming |
| two or more activities | me gusta nadar y correr | still singular |
| a whole clause | me gusta que vengas | I like that you’re coming (subjunctive) |
The subject usually comes after the verb, which is why it is easy to miss. In me gustan los gatos, los gatos is the subject and gustan agrees with it.
Rule 2: the person is an indirect object pronoun
| Pronoun | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| me | I like | Me gusta el mar. |
| te | you like | ¿Te gusta el mar? |
| le | he / she / you (usted) likes | A Luis le gusta el mar. |
| nos | we like | Nos gusta el mar. |
| os | you all like (Spain) | ¿Os gusta el mar? |
| les | they / you all like | A mis padres les gusta el mar. |
Never yo gusta, never lo gusta. The pronouns are the same ones you use with dar and decir (le doy, les digo), because the person who likes something is the one the liking happens to.
When do you add a mí, a ti, a Juan?
The pronoun (me, le, les) is compulsory. The phrase with a is optional, and you add it for three reasons:
- To say who, when le or les is ambiguous: A mi madre le gusta el jazz. Le gusta alone could be him, her or you.
- For contrast or emphasis: A mí me gusta el té, pero a ella le gusta el café.
- To answer or agree: ¿Te gusta? — A mí sí. / A mí también. / A mí no. / A mí tampoco.
Note the forms after a: a mí (with an accent), a ti (no accent), a él, a ella, a usted, a nosotros, a ellos. The combination a mí me looks redundant to English eyes, but it is the normal, correct pattern.
“I like you” and the forms gusto, gustas
Because the thing liked is the subject, the verb can be any person. Me gustas means “you are pleasing to me”: I like you, usually in the romantic sense. Te gusto means “you like me”. For friendship, Spanish says me caes bien (literally “you fall well on me”). Use me gustas carefully.
Other tenses
| Tense | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| preterite | me gustó la película / me gustaron los regalos | I liked |
| imperfect | de niño me gustaba el fútbol | I used to like |
| conditional | me gustaría viajar | I would like |
| present perfect | me ha gustado mucho | I have liked, I liked (recent) |
| future | te gustará el final | you will like |
| subjunctive | espero que te guste | I hope you like it |
Me gustaría is the standard way to say “I would like”: me gustaría un café, me gustaría ir. In restaurants and shops you will also hear quisiera and quería.
Twelve verbs that work like gustar
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| encantar | to love (something) | Me encanta este sitio. Nos encantan tus fotos. |
| interesar | to interest | ¿Te interesa la política? |
| importar | to matter, to mind | No me importa. ¿Le importa si abro la ventana? |
| molestar | to bother | Me molesta el ruido. |
| doler | to hurt | Me duele la cabeza. Le duelen las piernas. |
| faltar | to be missing, to lack | Nos faltan dos sillas. Le falta sal. |
| quedar | to suit, to fit; to have left | Te queda bien. Me quedan diez euros. |
| parecer | to seem | Me parece bien. ¿Qué te parecen? |
| aburrir | to bore | Me aburren las reuniones. |
| fascinar | to fascinate | Le fascinan los trenes. |
| preocupar | to worry | Me preocupa el examen. |
| sobrar | to be left over, to be too much | Nos sobra comida. |
All of them follow the two rules: indirect pronoun for the person, agreement with the thing. Me duele (one thing hurts), me duelen (several things hurt).
Common mistakes
- Yo gusto el café. Ungrammatical: yo gusto would mean “I am pleasing (to someone)”. Say me gusta el café.
- Me gusta los perros. Plural thing, plural verb: me gustan los perros.
- Le gusta with no clue who. Add the a phrase the first time: a mi hermano le gusta.
- Me gustan bailar y cantar. Infinitives always take the singular: me gusta bailar y cantar.
- A mí gusta. The a mí never replaces me: a mí me gusta.
Make it automatic
The free gustar drill gives you 36 sentences in 60 seconds covering gustar, encantar, doler, interesar and the rest, and names the rule for every miss. For the pronouns themselves, try the object pronouns drill.
Quick answers
Why is it me gusta and not yo gusto?
Because in Spanish the thing you like is the subject of gustar, and you are the indirect object. Me gusta el café literally means “coffee is pleasing to me.” Yo gusto would mean “I am pleasing.”
When do you use me gusta vs me gustan?
Me gusta with a singular noun or any infinitive (me gusta el café, me gusta nadar). Me gustan with a plural noun (me gustan los gatos). The verb agrees with the thing liked.
What does a mí me gusta mean, and is it redundant?
It means “I like”, with emphasis or contrast. The me is compulsory; a mí is optional and is added for contrast (a mí me gusta, a ella no) or to answer (¿Te gusta? A mí sí). It is standard Spanish, not a mistake.
How do you say “I like you” in Spanish?
Me gustas, which usually means romantic attraction. For “I like you as a person” Spanish says me caes bien.
Which verbs work like gustar?
Encantar, interesar, importar, molestar, doler, faltar, quedar, parecer, aburrir, fascinar, preocupar and sobrar. They all take an indirect object pronoun and agree with the thing: me duele la cabeza, nos faltan sillas.
How do you say “I would like” with gustar?
Me gustaría plus a noun or infinitive: me gustaría un café, me gustaría visitar Perú. It is the normal polite way to express a wish.