nos gusta
/nos ɡusta/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'we like' is expressed in Spanish as nos gusta.
The phrase is used to express that a group of people finds something pleasant or appealing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'it pleases us' because the verb gustar functions as 'to be pleasing to'.
Which one should you use?
If the thing being liked is plural, you must use the form nos gustan instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal expression nos mola is a common way to say 'we like'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that 'we like' doing an action, use nos gusta followed by the infinitive verb, such as nos gusta bailar (we like to dance).
How do you pronounce it?
/nos ɡusta/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say nosotros gustamos to mean 'we like', but in Spanish, gustar is used with the indirect object pronoun nos and the thing being liked as the subject.
Did you know?
- The slang alternative nos mola comes from the word for a 'grindstone' and is primarily used in Spain, whereas it would be rarely understood in Mexico or Argentina.
- Because gustar describes what is pleasing to the speaker, using nosotros gustamos actually means 'we are liked' or 'people find us attractive'.
- The word nos traces its roots back to the Latin dative nōbīs, which is why it functions as the recipient of the pleasure in this construction.
Examples in context
- Nos gusta el jazz.We like jazz.This sentence is useful for expressing a liking for a specific music genre using nos gusta.Tatoeba #4482212 by cueyayotl, translation #2851599 by Amastan
- Nos gusta la nieve.We like snow.This sentence is useful for expressing a liking for weather conditions using nos gusta.Tatoeba #3441849 by ulymarrero, translation #2858657 by Amastan
- Nos gusta la ópera.We like opera.This sentence is useful for expressing a liking for a genre of music using nos gusta.Tatoeba #11835599 by Seael, translation #9857342 by CK
- Nos gusta el cine francés.We like French cinema.
- Nos gusta la música clásica.We like classical music.
- A nosotros nos gusta la comida italiana.We like Italian food.
- A nosotros nos gusta el arte contemporáneo.We like contemporary art.
- Nos gusta ir al cine.We like to go to the movies.
- Nos gusta jugar videojuegos.We like playing video games.
- Nos mola salir de fiesta.We like going out partying.
- Nos mola escuchar música.We like listening to music.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are discussing a new restaurant.
- ElenaA Elena y a mí nos gusta la comida picante.Mateo and I like spicy food.
- MateoA mí también, vamos a ese lugar.Me too, let's go to that place.
- ElenaPero no nos gusta esperar mucho tiempo.But we don't like to wait a long time.
- MateoNo te preocupes, no hay mucha gente.Don't worry, there aren't many people.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
