What does it mean word for word?
Literally, no les caigo bien translates to "I do not fall well to them". In this idiomatic construction, the verb caer (to fall) is used to express the concept of being liked.
Which one should you use?
While no me gustan can sometimes be translated as "they don't like me", it is almost exclusively used for inanimate objects or things. For people, no les caigo bien is the standard way to express a lack of personal affinity. Additionally, if you want to express the opposite direction, that you do not like them (referring to people), you would say no me caen bien.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the construction no les caigo bien, the person being liked is the subject of the sentence. Because "I" (yo) is the subject, the verb ends in -go (caigo).
Did you know?
- While an English speaker might use the verb 'to like', doing so in Spanish with people by saying no me gustan would actually imply that you find people sexually attractive or physically appealing rather than just liking their personality.
- Adding the word mal to create the phrase les caigo mal suggests a much stronger and more active animosity than simply saying no les caigo bien.
- The word bien in this phrase shares an ancestral root with the Latin word bonus, which is the same root that gave English the word 'bonus'.
Examples in context
- Ellos no me quierenThey (masculine) don't like me
- Ellas no me quierenThey (feminine) don't like me
- Me tienen cruzado/aThey have a grudge against me
- Creo que no les caigo bien.I think they don't like me.
- Es evidente que no les caigo bien.It is obvious that they don't like me.
- Siento que no les caigo bien a tus padres.I feel like your parents don't like me.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing his new coworkers.
- JavierCreo que no les caigo bien a mis jefes.I think my bosses don't like me.
- Elena¿Por qué piensas eso, Javier?Why do you think that, Javier?
- JavierCasi nunca me hablan durante las reuniones.They hardly ever speak to me during meetings.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, solo necesitan tiempo.Don't worry, they just need time.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, les, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
