What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gusta el arte literally translates to 'to me is pleasing the art'. This is because the verb gustar functions as 'to be pleasing to'.
Which one should you use?
While me gusta el arte is the standard expression, you can modify your tone or intensity. In some regions, particularly Spain, you might use the more enthusiastic and casual Me chifla el arte. To express a higher level of liking in River Plate Spanish, you can use Me re gusta el arte.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to use the colloquial term 'che' to address someone, such as in Me gusta el arte, che. In Spain, the enthusiastic phrase Me chifla el arte is often used in casual settings. The use of me re to mean 'very' is a distinct feature of River Plate Spanish, seen in the phrase Me re gusta el arte.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the subject of the sentence is el arte (art), not 'I'. Because of this, the verb gustar is conjugated in the third-person singular. If you change the subject to a plural noun, such as las artes (the arts), the verb must change to the plural form me gustan las artes.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta el aɾte/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo gusto el arte by following English word order. Instead, you must use the indirect object pronoun me and the third-person conjugation of the verb.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, talking about art often involves the concept of duende, a mysterious power or soul that gives a work of art a haunting, emotional quality.
- In Spain, someone might say Me chifla el arte to express an intense passion. The verb chiflar literally means 'to whistle' or 'to be crazy', suggesting the art makes them lose their mind with joy.
- The word el in el arte is a false friend to the Arabic definite article al. Although they sound identical and serve the same function, they have entirely different linguistic origins.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el arte.I like art.This sentence is useful for expressing a basic liking for art using me gusta el arte.Tatoeba #2690318 by marcelostockle, translation #2245930 by CK
- Me gusta el arte, tío. Quiero visitar una galería próximamente.I like art, dude. I want to visit a gallery soon.
- Me apasiona el arte contemporáneo. Siempre encuentro nuevas formas de expresión artística.I'm passionate about contemporary art. I always find new forms of artistic expression.
- Me gusta el arte, che. Me gustaría visitar el Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.I like art, buddy. I would like to visit the National Museum of Fine Arts.
- Me re gusta el arte callejero. Es una forma de expresión única.I really like street art. It's a unique form of expression.
- A mí me gusta el arte moderno.I like modern art.
- No entiendo por qué me gusta el arte abstracto.I don't understand why I like abstract art.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are walking past a museum.
- SofíaA mí me gusta el arte, ¿y a ti?I like art, and you?
- JavierA mí también me gusta mucho.I like it a lot too.
- SofíaEntonces, ¿entramos a la galería?Then, shall we go into the gallery?
- JavierSí, vamos, Sofía.Yes, let's go, Sofía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arte, el, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
