gustar

to please

verb goos-TAHR Less Common

Origin: From Latin gustare ('to taste').

Also means

to like

Usage Note

Gustar is famously back-to-front for English speakers: the subject is what is liked, not who does the liking — me gusta el café literally means 'coffee pleases me'. The verb agrees with the subject (the thing liked), so me gustan los libros uses the plural. Saying yo gusto el café is an error. Gustar also means 'to taste' in formal or literary use, and in Mexico ¿gusta? is a polite offer ('would you like some?').

Examples

"Me gustan mucho las películas de acción."

Natural Translation

I really like action movies.

Literal Translation

To-me please-a-lot the movies of action.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

How to Tell Time in Spanish: A Beginner's Guide

Tell time in Spanish with one formula: es la una vs son las, y and menos for minutes, plus de la mañana, en punto, and 24-hour station times.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Numbers 1-100: Count, Spell & Pronounce

Spanish numbers 1 to 100 are a system, not a list: three patterns build every number. Master the spelling, the accent rule, and how to say prices fast.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Diminutives: What -ito and -ita Really Mean

Spanish diminutives rarely mean 'little.' Learn what -ito and -ita really signal — warmth, softening, downplaying — plus the -cito and -ecito formation rules.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Subjunctive Explained Simply for Beginners

The Spanish subjunctive is a mood, not a tense — use it after a WEIRDO trigger plus que. Learn the one rule, the yo-form recipe, and the lines you already say.

June 9, 2026 5 min read