me gusta leer
/me ɡusta leeɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I like reading' is translated into Spanish as me gusta leer.
You use me gusta leer to indicate that you enjoy the activity of reading books. If you want to express a much stronger preference or that you love the activity, you can use me encanta leer.
Meaning: indicates that the speaker likes reading books (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gusta leer literally translates to 'to me it is pleasing to read'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal phrase Me mola leer can be used to say 'I dig reading', while Me pone leer can be used to say 'Reading turns me on'. In Mexico, the informal phrase Me choca leer is used to express the opposite sentiment: 'I can't stand reading'.
How does it change in a sentence?
While you use me gusta leer with the infinitive 'leer', if you replace the infinitive with a plural noun like 'libros', you must change the verb to the plural form: me gustan los libros.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta leeɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto leer.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American cultures, a person who loves reading is often nicknamed a ratón de biblioteca, which is the equivalent of a 'bookworm' but literally means 'library mouse'.
- While me gusta leer is standard, a Spanish speaker might use the verb devorar meaning 'to devour' to describe the act of reading a book very quickly and passionately.
- In Mexico, if you hate reading, you might say me choca leer, which uses a verb that literally means 'to collide' or 'to crash'.
Examples in context
- Me gusta leer novelas policíacas.I like reading mysteries.This sentence is useful for specifying that you like reading mystery novels using me gusta leer.Tatoeba #493664 by Shishir, translation #258902 by adjusting
- Me gusta leer novelas americanas.I like reading American novels.This sentence is useful for specifying that you like reading American novels using me gusta leer.Tatoeba #2783563 by marcelostockle, translation #253002 by CN
- Me gusta leer literatura inglesa.I like reading English literature.This sentence is useful for specifying that you like reading English literature using me gusta leer.Tatoeba #5234259 by albrusgher, translation #2728851 by Amastan
- ¡Me gusta leer!I like reading!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are talking about their hobbies at school.
- ElenaHola Mateo, ¿qué haces en tu tiempo libre?Hi Mateo, what do you do in your free time?
- MateoA veces juego tenis, pero me gusta leer.Sometimes I play tennis, but I like reading.
- ElenaA mí también me gusta leer mucho.I like reading a lot too.
- Mateo¡Qué bien! Podemos ir a la biblioteca juntos.That's great! We can go to the library together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like reading” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
