Spanish conjugation explanation

Gustar-like verbs

<p>

There is a group of verbs commonly known as the <strong>gustar-like verbs</strong> that cause a lot of trouble for Spanish learners. Consider the following sentence:

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<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ella me <strong>gusta</strong> mucho. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I like her very much.</span>)</div>

<p>

Even though the sentence is translated as "I like her very much.", the verb <span style="font-style: italic">gustar</span> is conjugated in the third-person singular. The literal meaning of <span style="font-style: italic">gustar</span> is "to be pleasing to", so a more literal translation of the sentence would be "She is pleasing to me". The subject of the sentence is the thing being liked, and the thing doing the liking is the indirect object.

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<p>

Let's have a look at the most common gustar-like verbs with examples (the subject is highlighted in green):

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<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>GUSTAR</strong> (to be pleasing to)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <strong>gustó</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">esta película</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I liked this film [=it was pleasing to me].</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Hay muchas personas a quienes no les <strong>gusto</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">There are many people that don't like me [=that I'm not pleasing to].</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(The subject of the sentence (yo) is omitted.)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>PARECER</strong> (to seem, to appear to be)</div>

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

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>QUEDAR</strong> (to remain)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ya no nos <strong>quedan</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">balas</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We're out of bullets [=no bullets remain for us].</span>)</div>

</li>

<div><strong>IMPORTAR</strong> (to matter)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No me <strong>importan</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">las riquezas o la fama</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't care [=they don't matter to me] for wealth and fame.</span>)</div>

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<li>

<div><strong>FALTAR</strong> (to be missing)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <strong>faltan</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">el pasaporte y la cartera</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">My wallet and passport are missing.</span>)</div>

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<li>

<div><strong>EXTRAÑAR</strong> (to surprise)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No me <strong>extraña</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">que él esté tan enojado consigo mismo.</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">No wonder [=it doesn't surprise me] he's so mad at himself.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(The subject is the entire subordinate clause.)</div>

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<div><strong>ENCANTAR</strong> (to delight)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Esto</span> nos <strong>encanta</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We love this [=it delights us].</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>PREOCUPAR</strong> (to worry, to concern)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Eso</span> me <strong>preocupa</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">That concerns me.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>MOLESTAR</strong> (to bother, to disturb)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">En realidad me <strong>molesta</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">no tener novia</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It actually bothers me that I don't have a girlfriend.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>INTERESAR</strong> (to interest)</div>

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

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>DOLER</strong> (to hurt)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <strong>dolieron</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">tus comentarios</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I was really hurt by your comments [=they hurt me].</span>)</div>

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<li>

<div><strong>PICAR</strong> (to itch)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¡Cómo me <strong>pica</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">la nariz</span>! (<span style="font-style: italic;">My nose is so itchy [=it itches].</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>ATRAER</strong> (to attract)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A ella la <strong>atraen</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">los hombres negros</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She's attracted to black guys [=they attract her].</span>)</div>

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<div><strong>ABURRIR</strong> (to bore)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Su largo discurso</span> nos <strong>aburrió</strong> a todos. (<span style="font-style: italic;">His long speech bored us all.</span>)</div>

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<div><strong>SOBRAR</strong> (to be left over)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A mí no me <strong>sobra</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">el tiempo</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I have no time to spare.</span>)</div>

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<div><strong>CONVENIR</strong> (to be suitable)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Esto</span> te <strong>puede convenir</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">This may suit you.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>FASTIDIAR</strong> (to annoy)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <strong>fastidia</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">no poder ir</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I'm annoyed that I can't go.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>DISGUSTAR</strong> (to disgust, to cause dislike)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nos <strong>disgusta</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">la violencia</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We dislike violence [=it disgusts us].</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>APASIONAR</strong> (to impassion, to make passionate)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nos <strong>apasionan</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">los coches rápidos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We're passionate about fast cars [=they make us passionate].</span>)</div>

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<li>

<div><strong>FASCINAR</strong> (to fascinate)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Las historias como esa</span> me <strong>fascinan</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Stories like that fascinate me.</span>)</div>

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<div><strong>APETECER</strong> (to please, to be of interest to)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me <strong>apetece</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">beber leche</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I like to drink milk [=it pleases me].</span>)</div>

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<div><strong>REPUGNAR</strong> (to disgust)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Sólo <span class="green_emphasis">olerlo</span> me <strong>repugna</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Just smelling it grosses me out.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>