me gusta leer libros
/me ɡusta leeɾ libɾos/from spelling rules
The phrase me gusta leer libros is used to say "I like to read books" in Spanish.
This phrase is used to express a personal enjoyment of the activity of reading books.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gusta literally translates to "it pleases me", rather than a direct translation of "I like".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the sentence me gusta leer libros, the subject is actually the activity leer libros (to read books), which is why the verb gustar is conjugated in the third-person singular. If you want to say "I like books" (referring to the objects themselves rather than the action), you must change the verb to the plural me gustan los libros to match the plural libros.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta leeɾ libɾos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto leer libros. English speakers often make this mistake by translating "I like" directly, but gustar does not take yo as the subject of the liking.
Did you know?
- While me gusta is the standard way to say 'I like', in some regions of Spain, people might use the phrase me mola as a very informal slang alternative for things they enjoy, including reading.
- The Latin root of leer originally meant 'to collect' or 'to gather' before it evolved to mean 'to read'.
- In some Spanish dialects, particularly in parts of the Caribbean, people might replace the final 's' in libros with a soft breathy sound, making the word sound like libro.
Examples in context
- Me gusta leer libros.I like to read books.This example shows how to use the phrase me gusta leer libros.Tatoeba #338601 by tatoerique, translation #2377504 by CK
- Cuando tengo tiempo libre, me gusta leer libros nuevos.When I have free time, I like to read new books.
- No es un hobby común, pero me gusta leer libros.It is not a common hobby, but I like to read books.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- Elena¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre, Alejandro?What do you do in your free time, Alejandro?
- AlejandroA mí me gusta leer libros, ¿y a ti?I like to read books, and you?
- ElenaA mí me gusta mucho la música.I like music a lot.
- Alejandro¡Qué bien! La música es excelente.That's great! Music is excellent.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leer, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
