me gustan/te gustan/le gustan
Gustar (Plural)
Use gustan when you like more than one thing. The pronoun me, te, or le indicates who likes the items.
How It Works
When talking about liking multiple things in Spanish, you use the verb gustan. This is different from English because the verb agrees with the items being liked, not the person who likes them.
The structure is:
[Indirect Object Pronoun] + gustan + [Plural Noun]
Here are the pronouns you'll use:
- me gustan - I like
- te gustan - you (informal) like
- le gustan - he/she/you (formal) likes
- nos gustan - we like
- os gustan - you all (informal, Spain) like
- les gustan - they/you all like
For clarity or emphasis, you can add a + [pronoun/name] at the beginning:
- A mí me gustan los libros. (I like books.)
- A Juan le gustan los videojuegos. (Juan likes video games.)
This is the plural version of gustar with singular nouns.
Examples (5)
- Me gustan los perros.
I like dogs.
Word by Word: To me are pleasing the dogs.
- ¿Te gustan las manzanas?
Do you like apples?
Word by Word: To you are pleasing the apples?
- A ella le gustan los días soleados.
She likes sunny days.
Word by Word: To her to her are pleasing the sunny days.
- Nos gustan las películas de ciencia ficción.
We like science fiction movies.
Word by Word: To us are pleasing the movies of science fiction.
- A ellos les gustan los conciertos.
They like concerts.
Word by Word: To them to them are pleasing the concerts.
Common Mistakes
Using 'gusta' instead of 'gustan' for plural nouns.
Me gusta los gatos.Me gustan los gatos.The verb must be 'gustan' because the noun 'gatos' (cats) is plural. The verb agrees with the thing being liked.
Using a subject pronoun (yo, tú) instead of an indirect object pronoun (me, te).
Yo gusto los deportes.Me gustan los deportes.'Gustar' doesn't work like a regular verb. You must use indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, etc.) to indicate who likes something. 'Yo gusto' would mean 'I am pleasing (to someone else)'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'me gustan', you first need to grasp the unique 'backwards' structure of the verb 'gustar' using singular examples. Additionally, because 'gustan' is used for plural objects, you must know how to form plural nouns and recognize the third-person plural verb ending (-an).
- me gusta/te gusta/le gustaGustar (Singular)
Understanding the basic structure of 'gustar' (where the person is the indirect object and the thing is the subject) is essential before moving to plural subjects.
Level 1 - -s/-esPlural Formation
Since 'gustan' is used when the things liked are plural, the learner must understand how to form plural nouns.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- el/la/los/lasDefinite Articles
When expressing likes with 'gustar', you almost always use a definite article (el, la, los, las) before the noun. For example, 'Me gustan los perros'.
Foundations - le/lesIndirect Object Pronouns
The words 'me', 'te', 'le', 'nos', 'os', and 'les' are all indirect object pronouns. Understanding them is key to using 'gustar' and similar verbs correctly.
Level 2 - encantar/interesar/importarGustar-type Verbs
Many other verbs in Spanish, like 'encantar' (to love/delight) and 'interesar' (to interest), follow the exact same structure as 'gustar'.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice me gustan/te gustan/le gustan in Bubblegum
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