Spanish conjugation explanation

Gustar-like verbs

<p>There is a group of verbs in Spanish, commonly known as <strong>gustar-like verbs</strong>, that function differently than their English counterparts. While a standard verb like

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/hablar/" title="Click to see conjugations for hablar" target="_blank">hablar</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/gustar/" title="Click to see conjugations for gustar" target="_blank">gustar</a>

<p>Consider the sentence "I like the book." In Spanish, this is expressed as:</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">gusta</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">el libro</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I like the book.</span>)</div>

<p>The literal translation is "<span class="brown_emphasis">The book</span> is pleasing to me."</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The Structure</div>

<p>In these sentences, the <strong>thing being liked</strong> is actually the grammatical <span class="brown_emphasis">subject</span>. The person "doing" the liking is the <strong>indirect object</strong>.</p>

<p>Because the subject determines the conjugation, these verbs usually appear in only two forms:</p>

<ul>

<li><strong>Singular (S/3):</strong> Used when the subject is a singular noun or a verb infinitive.</li>

<li><strong>Plural (P/3):</strong> Used when the subject is a plural noun.</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">gusta</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">este libro</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">This book pleases me.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">gustan</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">esos libros</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Those books please me.</span>)</div>

<p>Since the person is the indirect object, we use the corresponding pronouns: <strong style="font-style: italic;">me, te, le, nos, os, les</strong>.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Common Gustar-like Verbs</div>

<p>Here are the most common verbs that follow this pattern. In the examples, the grammatical subject is highlighted in <span class="brown_emphasis">brown</span>.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/gustar/" title="Click to see conjugations for gustar" target="_blank">GUSTAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">gustó</span> mucho <span class="brown_emphasis">la película</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I liked the movie very much.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¿Te <span class="green_emphasis">gustan</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">los gatos</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Do you like cats?</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/encantar/" title="Click to see conjugations for encantar" target="_blank">ENCANTAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nos <span class="green_emphasis">encanta</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">viajar</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We love to travel.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(Note: When the subject is an infinitive verb like "viajar", use the singular form.)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/interesar/" title="Click to see conjugations for interesar" target="_blank">INTERESAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¿Te <span class="green_emphasis">interesan</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">las flores</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Are you interested in flowers?</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/molestar/" title="Click to see conjugations for molestar" target="_blank">MOLESTAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Le <span class="green_emphasis">molesta</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">el ruido</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The noise bothers her.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/parecer/" title="Click to see conjugations for parecer" target="_blank">PARECER</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¿Qué te <span class="green_emphasis">pareció</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">mi casa</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">What did you think of my house?</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nos <span class="green_emphasis">parecen</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">buenos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">They seem good to us.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/doler/" title="Click to see conjugations for doler" target="_blank">DOLER</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">duele</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">la cabeza</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">My head hurts.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Le <span class="green_emphasis">duelen</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">los pies</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">His feet act up/hurt.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/quedar/" title="Click to see conjugations for quedar" target="_blank">QUEDAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No me <span class="green_emphasis">queda</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">dinero</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I have no money left.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nos <span class="green_emphasis">quedan</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">cinco minutos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We have five minutes remaining.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/faltar/" title="Click to see conjugations for faltar" target="_blank">FALTAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A la sopa le <span class="green_emphasis">falta</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">sal</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The soup is missing salt.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">faltan</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">las llaves</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I am missing my keys.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/importar/" title="Click to see conjugations for importar" target="_blank">IMPORTAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No me <span class="green_emphasis">importa</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">el precio</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't care about the price.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/aburrir/" title="Click to see conjugations for aburrir" target="_blank">ABURRIR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Esa película</span> nos <span class="green_emphasis">aburrió</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">That movie bored us.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/sobrar/" title="Click to see conjugations for sobrar" target="_blank">SOBRAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">sobra</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">comida</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I have food left over.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/convenir/" title="Click to see conjugations for convenir" target="_blank">CONVENIR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Esta fecha</span> no me <span class="green_emphasis">conviene</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">This date doesn't suit me.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/picar/" title="Click to see conjugations for picar" target="_blank">PICAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <span class="green_emphasis">pica</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">la nariz</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">My nose itches.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/extra%C3%B1ar/" title="Click to see conjugations for extrañar" target="_blank">EXTRAÑAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No me <span class="green_emphasis">extraña</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">que él esté enojado</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It doesn't surprise me that he is angry.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/atraer/" title="Click to see conjugations for atraer" target="_blank">ATRAER</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A ella no le <span class="green_emphasis">atraen</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">esos hombres</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Those men do not attract her.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/preocupar/" title="Click to see conjugations for preocupar" target="_blank">PREOCUPAR</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">La situación</span> nos <span class="green_emphasis">preocupa</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The situation concerns us.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Clarifying the Person</div>

<p>Sometimes the indirect object pronouns (<span style="font-style: italic;">le, les</span>) are ambiguous, or we simply want to add emphasis. In these cases, we add the preposition <strong>a + pronoun/name</strong> at the beginning of the sentence.</p>

<p><strong>A mí</strong> me gusta, <strong>a ti</strong> te gusta, <strong>a él</strong> le gusta, etc.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">A Juan</span> le gusta <span class="green_emphasis">leer</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Juan likes to read.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">A ella</span> le <span class="green_emphasis">duelen</span> los pies. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Her feet hurt.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(This clarifies who "le" refers to.)</div>