Hi there! Today we are going to learn how to express what we like in Spanish using the unique verb gustar.
In English, we say 'I like the book.' But in Spanish, the verb gustar (to please) works backward! We actually say 'The book pleases me.'
Because the thing we like is actually doing the action, the verb form changes based on that thing. If you like one item, use gusta (GOO-stah). If you like multiple items, use gustan (GOO-stahn).
To show who is being pleased, we use special pronouns: me (to me), te (to you), le (to him/her), nos (to us), and les (to them). We put these words right before the verb.
✏️ Worked example
Translate the sentence "We like the apples" into Spanish step-by-step.
Identify the item being liked. In this case, it is "the apples" which is "las manzanas (the apples)" in Spanish.
Check if the item is singular or plural. "Las manzanas" is plural, so we must use "gustan (GOO-stahn)" instead of "gusta".
Identify who likes the item. The English sentence says "We". The Spanish pronoun for "to us" is "nos (nohs)".
Put the pronoun first, followed by the verb, and then the liked item: "Nos gustan las manzanas." This literally means "The apples please us."
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