Gustar and Similar Verbs
In Spanish, verbs like gustar flip the usual pattern: they focus on what pleases or affects someone, so the thing that delights you becomes the subject and you become an indirect object. This guide shows you how to use gustar and its relatives with helpful examples.
Gustar
Gustar expresses liking by agreeing the verb with the thing liked and using an indirect object pronoun for the person who likes it. Use gustar in forms like me gusta for singular things and me gustan for plurals.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍣 Me gusta el sushi de ese puesto. | I like the sushi from that stand. |
| 🍵 Te gusta el té matcha aquí. | You like the matcha tea here. |
| 🍰 Le gusta la tarta de hojaldre del café. | He/She likes the puff pastry tart from the café. |
| 🍊 Nos gusta la fruta fresca del mercado. | We like the fresh fruit from the market. |
| 🥐 Os gustan los croissants de varios puestos. | You (plural) like the croissants from various stands. |
| 🥝 Les gustan los kiwis y las uvas. | They like the kiwis and the grapes. |
Similar Verbs
Other verbs follow gustar's pattern by requiring indirect object pronouns and agreeing the verb with the thing that matters. These include verbs for preference, interest, need, and emotion.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| encantar | to love (something) |
| molestar | to bother |
| interesar | to interest |
| fascinar | to fascinate |
| importar | to matter / to care |
| doler | to hurt / to ache |
| quedar | to remain / to fit (clothing) |
| parecer | to seem |
| gustar | to like |
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation | Verb | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍊 Me encanta la naranja recién exprimida. | I love the freshly squeezed orange. | encantar | stronger liking |
| 🧃 Me interesa probar el jugo de flor de jamaica. | I’m interested in trying the hibiscus flower juice. | interesar | interest |
| 🏷️ Me importa el precio del kilo de manzanas. | The price per kilo of apples matters to me. | importar | concern |
| ⚠️ Me preocupa que cierren el mercado temprano. | I’m worried that they close the market early. | preocupar | worry |
| 📅 Me queda bien la cita en el mercado el sábado. | The appointment at the market on Saturday works for me. | quedar | fit/suit |
| 🙅 Me niegan la entrada con comida de afuera. | They deny me entrance with food from outside. | negar | deny |
Indirect Object Pronouns
The person affected by the verb is shown with an indirect object pronoun: me, te, le, nos, os, les. For emphasis or clarity, you can add a phrase like a ti or a ella.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| me | to me |
| te | to you (informal) |
| le | to him / to her / to you (formal) |
| nos | to us |
| os | to you (plural, Spain) |
| les | to them / to you (plural) |
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍓 Te di unas fresas del puesto de la esquina. | I gave you some strawberries from the corner stand. |
| 🥖 Le compré una baguette al hombre del carrito. | I bought a baguette for the man at the cart. |
| 🍶 Nos trajeron botellas de agua del puesto central. | They brought us bottles of water from the central stand. |
| 🧺 Os guardé un lugar en la fila del mercado. | I saved you (plural) a spot in the market line. |
| 🍊 Les di muestras de naranja a los turistas. | I gave orange samples to the tourists. |
Summary
Verbs like gustar focus on what pleases or affects someone, so you use an indirect object pronoun for the person and agree the verb with the thing. Learn the common verbs that follow this pattern to talk smoothly about likes, interests, and feelings.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025