Gustar is backwards
English says “I like chocolate”: the person is the subject. Spanish says me gusta el chocolate, literally “chocolate is pleasing to me”: the thing liked is the subject, and the person is an indirect object. That one fact explains every rule below.
Rule 1: the verb agrees with the thing, not the person
| Thing liked | Example |
|---|---|
| one thing | me gusta el chocolate |
| several things | me gustan los perros |
| an activity (infinitive) | me gusta bailar |
| two activities | me gusta bailar y cantar (still singular) |
Because the subject is the thing, gusto and gustas are rare. Me gustas means “I like you” (you are pleasing to me), which is a strong statement. For everyday likes you only need gusta and gustan.
Rule 2: the person is an indirect object pronoun
| Who likes it | Pronoun |
|---|---|
| a mí | me |
| a ti | te |
| a él / a ella / a usted / a Juan | le |
| a nosotros | nos |
| a vosotros | os |
| a ellos / a ellas / a ustedes / a mis padres | les |
The pronoun is compulsory; the a mí, a Juan part is optional and adds emphasis or clarity: A mí me gusta el té, pero a Juan le gusta el café. Never use yo, tú or lo: it is me gusta, not yo gusta; le gusta, not lo gusta.
Rule 3: a whole family of verbs works the same way
encantar (to love something), interesar, importar, molestar, doler (to hurt), faltar (to be missing), parecer (to seem), quedar (to fit, to suit), aburrir, fascinar, preocupar. Me duelen los pies. Le falta un euro. Nos encanta Madrid.
Other tenses
Nothing changes except the verb form: me gustó la película (one thing, preterite), me gustaron los regalos (several), me gustaba el colegio (imperfect), me gustaría viajar (conditional, “I would like”).
Quick answers
Is it me gusta or me gustan?
It depends on the thing you like, not on you. One thing or an activity takes gusta: me gusta el café, me gusta nadar. Several things take gustan: me gustan los perros.
Why is it le gusta and not lo gusta?
Because the person who likes something is an indirect object in Spanish, so the pronoun is le (or les), never lo or la. A Juan le gusta el fútbol.
What does a mí me gusta mean?
A mí me gusta means “I like” with extra emphasis or contrast: a mí me gusta el té, pero a ella le gusta el café. The a mí is optional; the me is compulsory.
Which verbs work like gustar?
Encantar, interesar, importar, molestar, doler, faltar, parecer, quedar, aburrir, fascinar and preocupar. They all take an indirect object pronoun and agree with the thing: me duele la cabeza, nos interesan los idiomas.
How do you say “I would like” in Spanish?
Me gustaría plus a noun or an infinitive: me gustaría un café, me gustaría viajar a Chile. Quisiera is a slightly more formal alternative.