me gustan los videojuegos
/me ɡustan los bideoxweɡos/from spelling rules
The phrase "I like video games" in Spanish is me gustan los videojuegos.
This phrase is used to express a personal fondness for playing or watching electronic games.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gustan literally translates to "they are pleasing to me". This is because, in Spanish, the thing being liked functions as the subject of the sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the things being liked are plural, the verb gustar must be conjugated in the third-person plural form gustan to agree with the subject los videojuegos.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustan los bideoxweɡos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo gusto los videojuegos by translating "I like" directly. Instead, you must use the indirect object pronoun me with the verb gustar.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the verb gustar can also be used to express sexual attraction. If someone says me gustas instead of me gustan, they are telling you that they find you attractive rather than liking a hobby.
- While videojuegos is the standard term, players in Spain often refer to the act of gaming as viciar. This comes from vicio, meaning 'vice' or 'addiction', but it is used colloquially to describe an intense gaming session.
- Because gustar functions like 'to be pleasing', you can emphasize your love for games by saying me encantan los videojuegos. The verb encantar literally means 'to enchant', suggesting the games cast a spell on you.
Examples in context
- Me gustan los videojuegos de aventura.I like adventure video games.
- Me gustan los videojuegos clásicos.I like classic video games.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- Daniel¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre?What do you do in your free time?
- MaríaMe gustan los videojuegos, ¿y a ti?I like video games, and you?
- DanielA mí también me encantan.I love them too.
- María¡Qué bien! Podemos jugar juntos algún día.That's great! We can play together sometime.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
