What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation of ¿te gustan los gatos? is "Are cats pleasing to you?" rather than "Do you like cats?"
Which one should you use?
While ¿te gustan los gatos? is the standard way to ask this, you can use ¿Le gustan los gatos? to be formal. For an informal variation, you can use ¿Te caen bien los gatos? to ask if cats are likeable or the colloquial ¿Te chiflan los gatos? to ask if someone is crazy about or very fond of cats. In formal contexts, you might also use ¿Le agradan los gatos?
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ¿te gustan los gatos?, the pronoun te is used to indicate that the person being spoken to is the one experiencing the liking. The verb must be in the plural form gustan because the subject of the sentence is los gatos.
When do people say it?
A natural way to respond to this question affirmatively is to say Sí, me gustan (Yes, I like them).
Did you know?
- The word gato is used in various Spanish-speaking countries as a slang term for a servant, a bodyguard or even a specific social class in Mexico.
- The colloquial term chiflar used in ¿Te chiflan los gatos? is originally associated with the sound of a whistle. It evolved to describe a state of being 'whistled' or crazed with obsession.
- While gustar refers to a general liking, the phrase caer bien literally means 'to fall well'. Using it suggests that the cats have a personality that is compatible or agreeable to you.
Examples in context
- Hola señor, ¿le gustan los gatos?Hello sir, do you like cats?
- Disculpe señora, ¿le agradan los gatos?Excuse me ma'am, do you like cats?
- Buenos días, ¿le caen bien los gatos?Good morning, do you like cats?
- Oye, ¿te gustan los gatos?Hey, do you like cats?
- Por cierto, ¿te caen bien los gatos?By the way, do you like cats?
- Dime, ¿te gustan los gatos?Tell me, do you like cats?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking about pets.
- Alejandro¿Te gustan los gatos?Do you like cats?
- LucíaSí, me encantan los gatos.Yes, I love cats.
- AlejandroYo también, tengo dos en casa.Me too, I have two at home.
- Lucía¡Qué bien, Lucía quiere verlos!That's great, Lucía wants to see them!
