me gustas
/me ˈɡustas/
The English phrase 'I fancy you' is translated into Spanish as me gustas.
Me gustas is used to tell someone that you are romantically or sexually attracted to them. While it can mean 'I like you' in a general sense, in a romantic context, it is the standard way to express attraction or 'fancying' someone.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gustas translates to 'you are pleasing to me'. In this construction, 'me' is the indirect object and 'gustas' is the verb 'to be pleasing'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression Me pones mucho is commonly used to mean 'You make me very excited/attracted'.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ˈɡustas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo te gusto to mean 'I fancy you', but in Spanish, me gustas is the standard way to express that you are the one attracted to the other person.
Did you know?
- The word gustar is a cognitive relative of the English word 'gusto', as both derive from the Latin root for tasting and pleasure.
- While me gustas expresses attraction, the phrase te quiero is used for 'I love you' in a way that is stronger than liking but softer than the deep passion of te amo.
- While me gustas focuses on your reaction to the person, using the verb encantar to say me encantas suggests that the person 'enchants' or 'bewitches' you.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabes que me gustas?Do you know that I fancy you?
- La verdad es que me gustas.The truth is, I fancy you.
Example conversation
Two friends are walking home from a party.
- MaríaMateo, me gustas mucho.Mateo, I fancy you a lot.
- Mateo¡De verdad! Tú también me gustas.Really! I fancy you too.
- MaríaNo sabía que sentías lo mismo.I didn't know you felt the same.
- MateoSí, María, me gustas desde hace meses.Yes, María, I've fancied you for months.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry me gustas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
