What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gusta el sushi translates to "to me it is pleasing the sushi". This reflects a structure where the sushi is the subject that performs the action of pleasing you.
Which one should you use?
The standard form is me gusta el sushi, but if you want to express a higher degree of enthusiasm colloquially, you can use El sushi me flipa to mean "I'm crazy about sushi" or Me mola un montón el sushi to mean "I'm really into sushi".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you can say me re gusta el sushi to mean "I really like sushi". In Mexico, the phrase me fascina el sushi is used to mean "I'm fascinated by sushi".
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing a general preference for a food item in Spanish, you must use the definite article el before the noun. Additionally, if you are referring to multiple types of sushi or specific sushi pieces as a plural subject, the verb must change from gusta to gustan, resulting in me gustan los sushis.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto el sushi. English speakers often mistakenly use "yo gusto" (I like) instead of the correct me gusta structure which means "it pleases me".
Did you know?
- The word mola, used in the phrase me mola un montón el sushi, is believed by some linguists to come from the slang for a 'millstone' or the act of grinding, though it now simply means 'to be cool'.
- The Spanish word el is a false cognate of the Arabic word ال (al-), which also serves as a definite article, despite having no genetic linguistic connection.
- Argentines use the word re as an intensifier in me re gusta el sushi, which functions like 'super' or 'really' and can be attached to almost any adjective or verb in the region.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el sushi.I like sushi.Tatoeba #1192418 by marcelostockle, translation #810883 by Zaphod
- Realmente me gusta el sushi.I really like sushi.
- Me encanta absolutamente el sushi.I absolutely love sushi.
- Me gusta el sushi más que ninguna otra comida.I like sushi more than any other food.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- Alejandro¿Quieres comer pizza, Sofía?Do you want to eat pizza, Sofía?
- SofíaNo, a mí me gusta el sushi.No, I like sushi.
- Alejandro¡Perfecto! Vamos al restaurante japonés.Perfect! Let's go to the Japanese restaurant.
- Sofía¡Qué buena idea, Alejandro!What a good idea, Alejandro!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, me, sushi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
