gusto kita
/ɡusˌto kiˈta/
The phrase "I like you" in Filipino is gusto kita.
Depending on the context, gusto kita can express that you like someone's personality or that you are romantically attracted to them. If you want to say "I like you too", you can say gusto rin kita by adding the word rin.
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of gusto, which means "like" or "want" and the enclitic pronoun kita, which specifically means "I [verb] you".
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun kita is a portmanteau of ako (I) and ka (you). It is used specifically in sentences where the speaker is the actor and the listener is the object.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡusˌto kiˈta/
What mistakes should you avoid?
While gusto ko ikaw is grammatically possible, it sounds heavy and unnatural. You should use the standard gusto kita instead.
Did you know?
- While kita in gusto kita is a pronoun, the same word kita is also used as a noun meaning 'earnings' or 'salary'.
- The phrase gusto kita is often used as a subtle confession of feelings before moving to the more intense mahal kita, which means 'I love you'.
- The word gusto was borrowed from Spanish, which in turn took it from Latin gustus meaning 'taste'.
Examples in context
- Gusto kita.I like you.This sentence shows the basic usage of gusto kita.Tatoeba #5361528 by kanlaon, translation #410751 by CK
- Gusto kita nang sobra.I like you so much.
- Alam mo bang gusto kita?Do you know that I like you?
Example conversation
Antonio confesses his feelings to Maria at a park.
- RicardoMaria, gusto kita.Maria, I like you.
- AngelaTalaga? Gusto rin kita, Antonio.Really? I like you too, Antonio.
- RicardoSalamat, sobrang saya ko.Thank you, I am so happy.
- AngelaAko rin, Antonio.Me too, Antonio.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like you” translations and entries gusto kita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gusto, kita, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
