Me gusta el pastel
/me ɡusta el pastel/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I like cake" translates to Spanish as Me gusta el pastel.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Me gusta el pastel translates to "To me is pleasing the cake" because the verb gustar functions differently than the English "to like".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to say you like multiple cakes, the verb must change to the plural form Me gustan los pasteles to agree with the plural subject 'los pasteles'.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta el pastel/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Yo gusto el pastel. In Spanish, the thing being liked is the subject, not the person.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word pastel is a cognate of the English word 'pastel'. While the English word refers to a pale color or a crayon, both share a root meaning 'paste' or 'dough'.
- If you are in Argentina or Uruguay, you might hear someone say Me gusta la torta to refer to a cake instead of using pastel.
- If you want to say you love cake with passion, you can use the verb encantar in the phrase Me encanta el pastel.
Examples in context
- Me gusta mucho el pastelI really like cake
- Me encanta el bizcocho por su textura esponjosaI love cake because of its fluffy texture
- Me gusta el pastel de chocolate.I like chocolate cake.
- Me gusta el pastel de la abuela.I like grandmother's cake.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are deciding what dessert to order at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Quieres una fruta?Do you want some fruit?
- DanielNo, la verdad es que me gusta el pastel.No, to be honest, I like cake.
- Lucía¡A mí también!Me too!
- DanielPidamos uno de fresa.Let's order a strawberry one.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, me, pastel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
