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4.1.6: Los verbos similares a "gustar"

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    Verbs like "gustar"

    In section 2.4.0 you learned how to express likes and dislikes using the verb "gustar"(to please). Use "gustar" with infinitive verbs to express what people like or dislike to do. Use "gustar" followed by a noun for things that people like or dislike.

    What you have learned about "gustar"?

    Remember that to express likes in Spanish using "gustar", we will have to invert the subject pronoun and the direct object:

    • The "someone" doing the action of liking is now receiving the action of being pleased.
    • The "something" being liked is now doing the action of pleasing.
    • The following chart shows the change of the "someone" as subject pronoun (crossed out) to "someone" as the receiver of the action (indirect object pronoun=IOP).
    • The clarifier is the indirect object (IO). It clarifies who the IOP refers to.

    (In the chart below, all words in blue reflect the replacement of the normal subject pronouns that are now the IOP and the clarifier (IO)).

    subject pronoun IOP clarifier subject pronoun IOP clarifier
    yo → me = a mí nosotros, nosotras → nos = a nosotros/as
    tú → te = a ti vosotros, vosotras → os = a vosotros/as
    usted → le = a usted ustedes → les = a ustedes
    él → le = a él ellos → les = a ellos
    ella → le = a ella ellas → les = a ellas
    • The indirect object nouns (a + prepositional pronoun/noun) are added to emphasize or clarify who it is pleasing to.
    • You will only use the verb "gustar" in the 3rd person singular or plural: "gusta" or "gustan". Remember the following formula:
    1. IOP+ gusta + subject pronoun that are infinitive verbs (this formula can be used when "gustar" is followed by just one verb or when it is followed by a list of verbs).
    2. IOP+ gusta + subject pronoun that is a singular noun.
    3. IOP+ gustan + subject pronoun that are plural nouns.

    Ejemplos

    Review the use of "gusta" (singular form) and "gustan" (plural form) in the examples below.

    With verbs:

    clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (verb) clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (verb)
    A mí me gusta estudiar español. A nosotros, a nosotras nos gusta ver la tele.
    A ti te gusta ir a las tiendas y comprar ropa. A vosotros, a vosotras os gusta escalar montañas.
    A Ud., a él, a ella le gusta nadar y practicar deportes. A Uds., a ellos, a ellas les gusta ir al cine y comer hamburguesas.

    With singular nouns:

    clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (sing. noun) clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (sing. noun)
    A mí me gusta esta clase. A nosotros, a nosotras nos gusta el fútbol.
    A ti te gusta el perro. A vosotros, a vosotras os gusta la telenovela Corazón Salvaje.
    A Ud., a él, a ella le gusta la hamburguesa. A Uds,, a ellos, a ellas les gusta la ropa cómoda.

    With plural nouns:

    clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (pl. nouns) clarifier IOP verb subject pronoun (pl. nouns)
    A mí me gustan estas clases. A nosotros, a nosotras nos gustan las empanadas de queso y jamón.
    A ti te gustan los chocolates de leche. A vosotros, a vosotras os gustan los programas de Friends y de The Office.
    A Ud., a él, a ella le gustan los perros y los gatos. A Uds., a ellos, a ellas les gustan las hamburguesas con las papas fritas.

     To express dislike, the negative word “no” is placed before the indirect object pronouns. Review the examples paying special attention to the placement of the word "no" in blue.

    clarifier no IOP verb subject pronoun clarifier no IOP verb subject pronoun
    A Elsa no le gusta estudiar. A ellos no les gusta la música Reggaetón.
    A ti no te gusta ir a las tiendas y comprar ropa. A nosotros no nos gusta cantar.
    A mí no me gustan las matemáticas. A vosotros no os gustan los problemas.

    Verbs like "gustar"

    The following verbs (below) are conjugated like the verb "gustar". These verbs have two forms: 3rd person singular and 3rd person plural (either present or preterite tense) and they use indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, os, les). In the chart below, verbs that are conjugated like "gustar" are in bold.

    Verb English Present tense Preterite tense
    aburrir To bore aburre, aburren aburrió, aburrieron
    encantar To like a lot, to love (inanimate objects) encanta, encantan encantó, encantaron
    faltar To be lacking, to be missing  falta, faltan faltó, faltaron
    fascinar To fascinate, to like very much fascina, fascinan fascinó, fascinaron
    importar To be important to, to matter to, to mind importa, importan importó, importaron
    interesar To interest, to be interesting to interesa, interesan interesó, interesaron
    molestar To bother molesta, molestan molestó, molestaron
    quedar To have left, to fit (clothing) queda, quedan quedó, quedaron

    Ejemplos

    • A Keiko le fascinan las matemáticas.
    • Nos importa llegar a tiempo al trabajo y a la universidad.
    • A los niños les interesan los dulces.
    • A ti y a mí nos faltó una clase para graduarnos.
    • A Carlos le quedan cinco dólares en su cartera.
    • A ti te molesta la gente grosera.
    • A vosotros os aburrió estar en casa todo el día.
    • ¡Me encantan las pinturas de Monet!

    Monet Impression Sunrise by Joaquín Martínez Rosado

    "Monet, Impression, Sunrise'" by Joaquín Martínez Rosado is licensed under CC BY 2.0

    This page titled 4.1.6: Los verbos similares a "gustar" is shared under a CC BY-NC license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by M. Barrio De Mendoza, K Gutiérrez, H.Ho, C. Lin, & A Stere Lugo (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative) .