What does it mean word for word?
The expression me gusta literally translates to "it pleases me". Because of this structure, the subject of the sentence is actually the activity of listening to music, rather than the person performing the liking.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may hear the colloquial expression Me mola escuchar música to express enthusiasm for listening to music.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase me gusta escuchar música, the verb gustar is conjugated in the third-person singular because the thing being liked, the act of listening, is a single activity. However, if you change the object to a plural noun, such as "the songs", you must change the verb to the plural form me gustan las canciones.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo gusto escuchar música when trying to say "I like". Instead, you must use the indirect object pronoun me with the verb gustar.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if you are asked if you like music, a common modest response is me defiendo, which literally means 'I defend myself' but implies 'I get by'.
- While escuchar is used for listening to music, Spanish has a separate word oír which refers to the mere physical act of hearing a sound without necessarily paying attention.
- The word escuchar is a linguistic sibling to the medical term auscultar, which is used when a doctor listens to a patient's body with a stethoscope.
Examples in context
- Me gusta escuchar música.I like listening to music.Tatoeba #1131063 by Shishir, translation #256342 by CK
- Me gusta escuchar música de Beethoven.I like listening to music by Beethoven.Tatoeba #1758264 by marcelostockle, translation #8401308 by CK
- Me gusta escuchar música, especialmente jazz.I like listening to music, especially jazz.Tatoeba #3225099 by Shishir, translation #256341 by CK
- Me gusta escuchar música rock, pop y música clásica.I like listening to rock, pop, and classical music.
- Disfruto escuchando música porque me relaja y me hace feliz.I enjoy listening to music because it relaxes me and makes me happy.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about their hobbies at a café.
- JavierA mí me gusta escuchar música todo el día.I like listening to music all day.
- Sofía¿De verdad? A mí también.Really? Me too.
- JavierSofía, ¿qué género prefieres tú?Sofía, what genre do you prefer?
- SofíaPrefiero la música clásica.I prefer classical music.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries escuchar, me, música, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
