Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| me gustas | /me ˈɡustas/ | informal |
| me gusta | /me ˈɡusta/ | formal |
| me agradas | /me aɡɾadas/ (from spelling rules) | |
| me agrada | /me aɡɾada/ (from spelling rules) | |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Spanish offers different ways to say you like someone depending on the nature of your affection. While me gustas often carries a connotation of romantic or physical attraction, me agradas is used to express that you like someone's personality or find them pleasant in a platonic way.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gustas literally translates to 'you are pleasing to me', where 'me' is the indirect object and 'gustas' is the verb.
Which one should you use?
The different forms express varying levels of intensity and intent. Me gustas is typically used for romantic or physical attraction, whereas me agradas is more platonic. To express much stronger feelings than me gustas, you can use me encantas to say 'I'm enchanted by you' or te quiero to say 'I love you'. While me gustas is for attraction, te quiero is a stronger expression of affection used for friends, family or romantic partners.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Me gustas is the informal way to say 'I like you'. If you need a formal version, use me gusta.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and some Latin American countries, the informal expressions me late and me chiflas can be used to convey a sense of liking or attraction towards someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
gustas is used when the person you like is the subject (you).
How do you pronounce it?
/me ˈɡustas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo te gusto to mean 'I like you'. In Spanish, the person being liked is the subject, so you should say me gustas instead.
Did you know?
- The phrase me chiflas is a colorful, idiomatic way in Mexico to say someone 'blows your mind' or that you are very attracted to them.
- In certain Latin American contexts, saying me late can mean 'you interest me' or 'I am into you', moving the expression of liking away from the concept of 'pleasure'.
- While te quiero is used for friends and family, romantic partners often graduate to te amo to express a deeper, more soulful love.
Examples in context
- Por eso me gustas.That's why I like you.This sentence shows how to use me gustas to give a reason for liking someone.Tatoeba #3519655 by teskmon, translation #3519313 by CK
- Creo que me gustas.I think I like you.This sentence is useful for expressing a thought about your feelings using me gustas.Tatoeba #4554749 by swyter, translation #1887705 by CK
- Me gustas como amigo.I like you as a friend.This sentence demonstrates how to specify that you like someone as a friend using me gustas.Tatoeba #4405154 by pchamorro, translation #2377626 by CK
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro confesses his feelings to Lucía during a walk in the park.
- AlejandroLucía, la verdad es que me gustas.Lucía, the truth is that I like you.
- Lucía¡Oh! No lo esperaba, Alejandro.Oh! I wasn't expecting that, Alejandro.
- AlejandroMe gustas de una forma especial.I like you in a special way.
- LucíaGracias por decírmelo, me hace feliz.Thank you for telling me, it makes me happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i like you” translations and entries me gustas, me gusta, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
