me gustan las papas
/me ɡustan las papas/from spelling rules
To say "I like potatoes" in Spanish, use me gustan las papas.
This phrase is used to express a general preference for potatoes.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "potatoes are pleasing to me" (to me are pleasing the potatoes).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin American Spanish, the standard word for potatoes is papas, as seen in me gustan las papas. In Spain, the word patatas is used instead, such as in me gustan las patatas. Additionally, in Peru, the term papas criollas refers to a specific type of potato.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb gustar is conjugated in the third-person plural form gustan because the subject of the sentence is the plural noun las papas.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustan las papas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto las papas. While English speakers often try to translate "I like" directly, you should use the indirect object construction me gustan instead.
Did you know?
- The word papa is a loanword from the Quechua language papa, rather than being derived from Latin.
- In Spain, if you ask for papas, you might end up with something completely different. While most of the Americas uses papas for the vegetable, in Spain that word is almost exclusively used for 'chips' or fried potato slices.
- Because potatoes originated in the Andes, Peru has thousands of native varieties of papas, making the phrase a statement about a massive range of flavors and colors.
Examples in context
- Las patatas me chiflan en todas sus formas.I go crazy for potatoes in all their forms.
- Me gustan las papas con sal.I like potatoes with salt.
- Me gustan las papas más que el arroz.I like potatoes more than rice.
Example conversation
Javier and María are deciding what to have for dinner.
- JavierNo quiero arroz, me gustan las papas.I don't want rice, I like potatoes.
- MaríaA mí no me gustan las papas.I don't like potatoes.
- JavierEntonces, ¿qué quieres comer, María?Then, what do you want to eat, María?
- MaríaPrefiero comer pasta hoy.I prefer to eat pasta today.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries las, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
