What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gusta translates to 'it pleases me' rather than 'I like it'.
Which one should you use?
While me gusta is the standard way to say you like something, me encanta is used when you want to express a stronger feeling or love for something. You can also intensify your liking by adding 'mucho' to the phrase, as in me gusta mucho.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, younger generations often use the expression Me mola mogollón to indicate a strong liking.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb must agree with the thing being liked. If the object you like is plural, you must change the form to me gustan (I like them).
How do you pronounce it?
/me ˈɡusta/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Yo gusto esto to mean 'I like this'. In Spanish, the thing being liked acts as the subject of the sentence, rather than 'I'.
Did you know?
- Using me gusta to describe a person usually implies romantic or physical attraction. It is more direct than the English 'I like you', which can often be interpreted as purely platonic.
- The word me in me gusta shares an ancient root with the English word 'me'. Both descended from Proto-Indo-European forms used to indicate the self as an object.
- If you want to say 'I like you', you must use me gustas. This is because the verb must change to agree with the person being liked, who acts as the subject.
Examples in context
- A mí me gusta.I like it.This sentence shows how to use the phrase with emphasis.Tatoeba #10081329 by Shishir, translation #1520245 by ABChessel
- Me gusta un poco.I like it a little.This sentence demonstrates how to express liking something a little bit.Tatoeba #6813296 by arh, translation #12096532 by shekitten
- Creo que me gusta.I think I like it.This sentence shows how to express a thought regarding your preference.Tatoeba #3876776 by SrTortuga, translation #3823460 by CK
- Me gustan los libros.I like books.
- Me agrada tu propuesta.I like your proposal.
- Me agradan tus ideas.I like your ideas.
- Me mola tu camiseta.I like your T-shirt.
- Me molan las canciones de esta banda.I like this band's songs.
- Me gusta mucho esta serie.I really like this series.
- Me gustan mucho tus dibujos.I really like your drawings.
- Me cae bien María.I like María.
- Me caen bien tus amigos.I like your friends.
- Me late el cine.I like the movies.
- Me late esa idea.I like that idea.
- Me mola mogollón esta serie.I love this series.
- Me molan mogollón los videojuegos.I'm crazy about video games.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are at a cafe looking at the menu.
- LucíaMe gusta este café.I like this coffee.
- MateoA mí también me gusta.I like it too.
- Lucía¿Te gusta el pastel?Do you like the cake?
- MateoSí, me gusta mucho.Yes, I like it a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry me gusta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
