me gustan las tortugas
/me ɡustan las toɾtuɡas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I like turtles" is translated into Spanish as me gustan las tortugas.
The phrase is used to express a fondness for the animals known as turtles.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase me gustan las tortugas, the verb gustar functions differently than the English "to like". It literally translates to "to be pleasing to", meaning the subject of the sentence is actually the turtles.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Me chiflan las tortugas means "I'm crazy about turtles".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are talking about a single turtle, the verb must change from gustan to the singular gusta (e.g., me gusta la tortuga).
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustan las toɾtuɡas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use yo (I) as the subject with gustar, but in Spanish, the thing being liked is the subject.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word tortuga is used for both land-dwelling tortoises and aquatic turtles, whereas English uses two different words.
- In slang from certain parts of Spain, saying something 'me mola' instead of 'me gusta' is a very common way for younger people to say they like something.
- If you are in a Mexican market and see a 'tortuga' on a menu, it refers to the animal, but tortuga is also a colloquial term in some regions for a slow-moving person.
Examples in context
- Me gustan las tortugas.I like turtles.Tatoeba #1386227 by hayastan, translation #1383641 by russjohnson09
- ¿Sabes que me gustan las tortugas?Do you know that I like turtles?
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are watching a nature documentary together.
- SofíaMe gustan las tortugas de este programa.I like the turtles in this program.
- AlejandroA mí también me encantan.I love them too.
- SofíaSon animales muy tranquilos, Alejandro.They are very calm animals, Alejandro.
- AlejandroSí, son muy relajantes de ver.Yes, they are very relaxing to watch.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
