me encanta bailar
/me enkanta bailaɾ/from spelling rules
To say "I love dancing" in Spanish, use me encanta bailar.
This phrase is used to express a strong liking or a passion for the activity of dancing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "dancing enchants me".
Which one should you use?
While amo bailar also means "I love dancing", me encanta bailar is much more common when expressing a passion for a hobby or activity.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the subject of the sentence is the activity itself (dancing), the verb encantar is conjugated in the third-person singular.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say yo amo bailar because it follows English word order. Instead, use me encanta bailar as it is the more natural way to express liking an activity.
Did you know?
- The English word 'ball' and the Spanish bailar both trace their history back to the Greek word bállō, which interestingly meant 'to throw'.
- The word encantar shares its root with 'enchant', meaning that when you say me encanta bailar, you are technically saying that dancing has cast a spell on you.
- If you want to say you love a person, you might use te amo, but using me encantas to a romantic partner can sound more like you are being 'charmed' or 'enchanted' by them rather than expressing deep love.
Examples in context
- Amo bailar salsa.I love dancing salsa.
- Me apasiona el baile flamenco.I am passionate about flamenco dancing.
- Me encanta bailar tango.I love dancing tango.
- Disfruto mucho bailando hip-hop.I really enjoy dancing hip-hop.
- Me encanta bailar salsa en las fiestas.I love dancing salsa at parties.
- Me encanta bailar en la playa.I love dancing on the beach.
- No necesito música, me encanta bailar.I don't need music, I love dancing.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking about their hobbies at a party.
- María¿Te gusta la música?Do you like music?
- MateoSí, pero a mí me encanta bailar.Yes, but I love dancing.
- María¡Qué bien! A mí también me encanta bailar.That's great! I love dancing too.
- MateoEntonces, vamos a la pista.Then, let's go to the dance floor.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bailar, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
