me gustan las papas fritas
/me ɡustan las papas fɾitas/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I like chips' can be translated into Spanish as me gustan las papas fritas.
This phrase is used to express a fondness for deep-fried potato strips.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gustan las papas fritas translates to 'the fried potatoes please me' because the verb gustar functions as 'to be pleasing to'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word patatas is used instead of papas to refer to potatoes, so you would say me gustan las patatas fritas.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase me gustan las papas fritas, the verb gustar is conjugated in the third-person plural gustan because the subject of the sentence is the plural noun las papas fritas.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustan las papas fɾitas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo gusto las papas fritas by translating 'I like' literally. Instead, remember that the thing being liked is the subject and the person is the indirect object (me).
Did you know?
- The word papas is not actually derived from Latin, but from the Quechua word papa, the language of the Inca Empire, because potatoes originated in the Andes.
- While me gustan is used for food, saying me gusta with a person's name often implies a romantic attraction rather than just liking their personality.
- In many Latin American countries, papas fritas can refer to both thick steak-cut fries and the thin, crunchy potato chips sold in bags, which English separates into two different words.
Examples in context
- Me gustan las papas fritas con sal.I like chips with salt.
- No me gustan las papas fritas de este restaurante.I don't like the chips from this restaurant.
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at a restaurant menu.
- JavierMira, aquí venden papas fritas.Look, they sell french fries here.
- María¡Qué bien! Me gustan las papas fritas.Great! I like french fries.
- Javier¿Quieres pedir una porción para compartir?Do you want to order a portion to share?
- MaríaSí, Javier, me parece una buena idea.Yes, Javier, I think that is a good idea.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
