Me gusta tu cara
/me ɡusta tu kaɾa/from spelling rules
To say "I like your face" in Spanish, you say Me gusta tu cara.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that you find their facial features attractive. In Spanish, cara is the most common term used for "face". While it is a direct compliment, it can sometimes sound slightly blunt or objectifying in Spanish compared to saying Eres muy guapa/o (You are very beautiful/handsome).
Which one should you use?
While Me gusta tu cara is a direct way to express the sentiment, you can use rostro instead of cara for a slightly more poetic or formal way to refer to someone's face. For example, Me gusta tu rostro means "I like your face/countenance".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you change the object to a plural noun like rasgos (features), the verb must change to gustan to agree with the plural subject, as in Me gustan tus rasgos.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡusta tu kaɾa/
Did you know?
- The phrase dar la cara literally means 'to give the face' but is used as an idiom for taking responsibility or facing a difficult situation.
- The word cara shares a common ancestor with the Greek word kára, which originally meant 'head'. This explains why the word can sometimes feel more focused on the physical structure of the skull than a poetic concept of beauty.
- While telling someone Me gusta tu cara is a compliment, be careful using the word cara in some Latin American slang, where it can occasionally refer to an 'expression' or 'attitude' in a derogatory way, such as being 'cara de algo' (having a certain look).
Examples in context
- Disculpe, señora. No pude evitar darme cuenta de que me gusta mucho su rostro.Excuse me, ma'am. I couldn't help but notice, I really like your face.
- ¡Oye, Juan! Tu cara mola, tío.Hey, John! Your face looks awesome, man!
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are looking at a mirror together.
- MaríaMe gusta tu cara, Alejandro.I like your face, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, María. Qué amable eres.Thank you, María. How kind you are.
- MaríaEs la verdad, tienes rasgos muy bellos.It is the truth, you have very beautiful features.
- AlejandroMe haces sonrojar.You are making me blush.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cara, me, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
