Everyday sentence toolsSpanishA1

Gustar and similar verbs

Gustar works from the point of view of what is pleasing, not from the English pattern of “I like something.”

Examples

SpanishTranslation
Me gusta este café.

I like this coffee.

Nos gustan los cuentos cortos.

We like short stories.

¿Te gusta estudiar aquí?

Do you like studying here?

Pattern

indirect object + gusta/gustan + thing

How it works

Gustar works from the point of view of what is pleasing, not from the English pattern of “I like something.” This pattern typically appears as indirect object + gusta/gustan + thing and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.

What to notice

  • Use gusta with a singular noun or infinitive.
  • Use gustan with plural nouns.

Why it matters

These structures appear early in dialogues, menus, and short interactions.

Use in context

The structure feels easier once you treat the thing as the grammatical star of the sentence.