Gustar To be pleasing to like n Gustar

Gustar To be pleasing (to like)

n Gustar, means "something is pleasing to me. “ It is different than the other verbs we have learned so far. Many Spanish verbs work just like English verbs in a straight forward "Subject. Verb" manner. Gustar Works backwards

For example, let's look at the verb Tener, "to have". To say, "I have my book", we follow the same word order we just used in English "Yo tengo mi libro. " Yo is the subject that controls the verb, tengo, and mi libro is the direct object [what I have]. n But Gustar doesn't work this way.

We cannot say *Yo gusto mi libro. Gustar functions a little differently. With Gustar, the subject is the thing or person that is pleasing to you. In other words, we say The book is pleasing to me: Me gusta el libro. Me (to me) gusta (is pleasing) el libro (The book).

n It may seem confusing because the subject, mi libro, comes after the verb. Do not let the word order influence you! Think of it this way: it is the responsiblility of other things and people to please you rather than for you to go out actively liking things!

n n n Let's look at another example using Gustar: "I like horseback riding. " We need to say: Me gusta montar a caballo. Remember this is not a direct translation. When I say, Me gusta montar a caballo, I'm really saying "Horseback riding is pleasing to me".

n n n n Me is an Indirect Object Pronoun referring to myself - I am whom is being pleased; Montar a Caballo is the real Subject - it is what is pleasing me. Gusta is the active verb and is singular because horseback riding is a concept or an action - at any rate, Montar is an infinitive and infinitives are ALWAYS SINGULAR. Gustar requires an indirect object pronoun which indicates "to whom" the subject is pleasing: Me(a mí) Te(a ti) Le(a él, a ella, a usted) Nos(a nosotros) Os(a vosotros) Les(a ellos/as, a ustedes)

Gustar sentences will always have three components: #1: an indirect object pronoun #2: A form of Gustar #3: A subject with a definite article Me gusta el café Nos gusta la música

If the subject (what is pleasing) is SINGULAR or an INFINITIVE, Gustar is conjugated in the 3 rd person singular form (the él, ella, usted form): (a mí) me gusta (a nosotros) nos gusta (a ti) te gusta (a vosotros) os gusta (a él, le gusta (a ellos/as, les gusta Ella, ustedes) Usted) n Example: A él le gusta la pizza A ella le gusta comer las hamburguesas

If what is pleasing is plural, (for example, grapes) then Gustar is conjugated in the 3 rd person PLURAL form (Ellos, ellas, ustedes form): (a mí) me gustan (a nosotros) nos gustan (a ti) te gustan (a vosotros) os gustan (a él, le gustan (a ellos/as, les gustan Ella, ustedes) Usted) n Example: A mí me gustan las uvas.

n n For now think of Gustar verbs as having only two conjugations, the 3 rd person singular and plural (gusta and gustan) Avoid the error of *Me gusto - At best this implies you are physically appealing to yourself which is probably not what you mean to say (at worst it is TMI. )

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