me gustaría eso
/me ɡustaɾia eso/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I would like that" is expressed as me gustaría eso.
The phrase is used to express a desire or preference for a particular thing or situation.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me gustaría eso means "that would please me", composed of me (to me), gustaría (would be pleasing) and eso (that).
Which one should you use?
Using the conditional form gustaría makes the expression more polite and indirect than the present tense me gusta eso, which simply means "I like that".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase Me encantaría eso is used to say "I would love that" and is used to convey stronger enthusiasm.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can adjust the phrase based on the physical distance of the object: use me gustaría esto if the thing is close to you or in your hand, and use me gustaría aquello if the thing you desire is physically far away from both you and the listener.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustaɾia eso/
Did you know?
- The word eso comes from the Latin ipsum, which originally meant 'himself' or 'itself'. It evolved from a way to emphasize an identity to a neutral demonstrative pronoun.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, using the conditional gustaría is not just about politeness but about avoiding appearing too demanding or aggressive in a social interaction.
- Because gustar functions differently than 'like', you cannot use it as a direct translation for 'to enjoy' an activity in the same way you would use disfrutar.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría esa camisaI would like that shirt
- Quisiera ese libroI would like that book
- Quisiera esa blusaI would like that blouse
- Me gustaría esa películaI would like that movie
- Me gustaría eso para mi cumpleaños.I would like that for my birthday.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing a possible weekend trip.
- SofíaPodemos ir a la playa este sábado.We can go to the beach this Saturday.
- MateoMe gustaría eso, Sofía.I would like that, Sofía.
- Sofía¿Quieres que reserve el hotel ahora?Do you want me to book the hotel now?
- MateoSí, Mateo piensa que es una buena idea.Yes, Mateo thinks it is a good idea.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eso, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
