Clear Spanish grammar
How gustar works in Spanish
Gustar does not copy the English structure “I like something”. In Spanish, the liked thing is the grammatical subject, while the person is expressed by an indirect-object pronoun.
The essentials
Three rules that clear up the confusion
- 1
Use me, te, le, nos, os or les to show who experiences the liking.
- 2
Use gusta with one thing or an infinitive, and gustan with a plural noun.
- 3
A mí, a ti or a María adds contrast or clarity, but the short pronoun is still required.
Compare
Examples in complete sentences
Me gusta el libro.I like the book.
Me gustan los libros.I like the books.
A María le gusta bailar.María likes dancing.
Go beyond reading
Practise the rule through the guided course route
A short explanation, a task, answer checking and a direct return to the paragraph needed after a mistake.