What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gusta nadar translates to "to me it is pleasing to swim". In this construction, me serves as the indirect object and gusta is the third-person singular form of the verb gustar.
Which one should you use?
While me gusta nadar expresses a general liking, me encanta nadar should be used if you want to express a stronger feeling, such as "I love swimming".
How does it change in a sentence?
When gusta is followed by an infinitive verb like nadar, it must remain in the singular form. Even if you were discussing multiple activities, you should not use the plural form me gustan 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 (I) as the subject, but in Spanish, the subject of the sentence is actually the act of swimming, which makes me gusta the correct construction.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word nadar shares a common ancient root with the English word 'natation', which is a formal term for the act of swimming.
- While me gusta nadar is standard, in some regions, people use the verb fascinar to describe a passion for swimming that is even stronger than encantar.
- If you say me gusta nadar while talking about a pool, a native speaker might ask if you prefer estilo libre (freestyle) or braza (breaststroke), as swimming is often discussed by specific stroke styles.
Examples in context
- Me gusta nadar por la tarde.I like to swim in the afternoon.This sentence is useful for specifying when you like to swim using me gusta nadar.Tatoeba #11578255 by Shishir, translation #4071874 by CK
- Me gusta nadar.I like to swim.This is a simple way to state your preference using me gusta nadar.Tatoeba #536567 by Shishir, translation #256172 by CK
- Me gusta nadar todos los días.I like to swim every day.
- Disfruto nadar en aguas abiertas.I enjoy swimming in open water.
- ¡Me gusta nadar! ¿Quieres venir conmigo?I like to swim! Do you want to come with me?
- Me mola nadar en el mar con amigos.I think swimming in the sea with friends is cool.
- ¡Me chifla nadar bajo la luna!I absolutely love swimming under the moon!
- Me gusta nadar en el mar.I like to swim in the sea.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about their hobbies.
- Daniel¿Qué haces en el verano, Sofía?What do you do in the summer, Sofía?
- SofíaMe gusta nadar en la piscina.I like to swim in the pool.
- DanielA mí también me gusta nadar.I like to swim too.
- Sofía¡Vamos a la piscina juntos!Let's go to the pool together!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, nadar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
