me gusta el maíz
/me ɡusta el maiθ/from spelling rules
To say "I like corn" in Spanish, you say me gusta el maíz.
This phrase is a statement used to express a preference for corn as a food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "to me corn is pleasing". This is because the verb gustar functions differently than the English "to like".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal expression Me chifla el maíz. is popular in regions such as Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase me gusta el maíz, el maíz is the subject and me is the indirect object, meaning the corn is the thing doing the pleasing. Note that if the object being liked is plural, the verb must change from gusta to gustan, such as in me gustan los granos de maíz.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta el maiθ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto el maíz. English speakers often mistakenly use yo gusto instead of me gusta, but yo gusto is grammatically incorrect in Spanish.
Did you know?
- In Mexico, corn is so central to identity that the phrase sin maíz no hay país ('without corn there is no country') is a popular cultural slogan.
- The word maíz is not originally a Spanish word but was borrowed from the Taíno language of the Caribbean.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you might hear people use the word elote instead of maíz when referring to the corn on the cob.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el maíz con mantequilla derretida.I like corn with melted butter
- Me encanta el maíz fresco de la granja.I love fresh farm corn
- Me chifla el maíz asado en la barbacoa.I'm crazy about corn grilled on the BBQ
- A mí me gusta el maíz.I like corn.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking at a menu.
- Javier¿Quieres probar este plato con maíz?Do you want to try this dish with corn?
- SofíaSí, me gusta el maíz mucho.Yes, I like corn a lot.
- JavierA mí también me gusta el maíz.I like corn too.
- SofíaEntonces pidamos este plato, Javier.Then let's order this dish, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, maíz, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
