me gusta nadar
/me ɡusta nadaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'I like swimming' is translated into Spanish as me gusta nadar.
me gusta nadar is a statement used to express that someone enjoys the activity of swimming. A more jovial way to express your love for swimming is by saying Me chifla nadar to express that you are crazy about or wild about swimming. When discussing swimming specifically in the sea, you can use the phrase Me fascina nadar en el mar to mean 'I'm fascinated by swimming in the sea'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, especially among younger generations, Me mola nadar is a popular slang phrase to say 'I like swimming'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To negate the phrase and say 'I don't like swimming', place no before the indirect object pronoun me to form no me gusta nadar.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta nadaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto nadar. English speakers often mistakenly use yo gusto (I please) instead of me gusta (it pleases me) when trying to say 'I like'.
Did you know?
- The phrase me chifla nadar uses a verb that originally referred to whistling. Over time, it evolved from 'to whistle' to mean 'to be crazy about' something.
- While me gusta nadar is universal, using the slang me mola to express your liking for swimming is almost exclusively a phenomenon of Spain and would sound very strange to speakers in Latin America.
- In Spanish, the structure of me gusta nadar actually means 'swimming pleases me'. Because the activity is the thing doing the pleasing, the verb gustar is conjugated based on the activity rather than the person.
Examples in context
- Me gusta nadar, pero no me gusta nadar aquí.I like swimming, but I don't like to swim here.This sentence shows how to use the phrase in a contrast with a negative statement.Tatoeba #1295038 by marcelostockle, translation #258906 by CK
- Me gusta nadar.I like swimming.This sentence is a simple way to state your preference.Tatoeba #536567 by Shishir, translation #258905 by CK
- Me gusta nadar y jugar al baloncesto.I like swimming and playing basketball.This sentence demonstrates how to combine the phrase with another activity.Tatoeba #860507 by chaos, translation #270873 by CK
- Me gusta nadar muchoI really like swimming
- Me encanta nadar siempre que puedo porque me hace sentir libre y relajado.I absolutely love swimming whenever I can because it makes me feel free and relaxed.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking about their weekend plans at the beach.
- Daniel¿Quieres ir a la playa hoy?Do you want to go to the beach today?
- LucíaSí, me gusta nadar en el mar.Yes, I like swimming in the sea.
- DanielA mí también me encanta el agua.I love the water too.
- LucíaEntonces, vamos ahora mismo.Then, let's go right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
