te gusta alguien
/te ɡusta alɡjen/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "you like someone" is te gusta alguien.
This phrase is used to express that you have a romantic attraction to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "someone is pleasing to you" because the verb gustar functions differently than the English "to like".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I like someone" instead of "you like someone", change the indirect object pronoun te to me to get me gusta alguien. When addressing someone formally (usted), the pronoun changes from te to le, resulting in le gusta alguien.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ɡusta alɡjen/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use the subject pronoun tú with the verb (as in tú gustas alguien). However, in Spanish, the person being liked is the subject, so te gusta alguien is the correct structure.
Did you know?
- If you use gustar to describe a person, it often implies a romantic or physical attraction. To say you like someone in a friendly or platonic way, speakers often use the verb caer bien.
- The word alguien likely evolved from a blend of alguno, meaning 'some', and quien, meaning 'who'.
- Because the person being liked is the subject, the verb gusta must change to gustan if you like more than one person, even if the 'you' in the sentence remains the same.
Examples in context
- Me gustas tú, JuanI like you, Juan
- Dime la verdad, ¿te gusta alguien?Tell me the truth, do you like someone?
- Parece que te gusta alguien de la clase.It looks like you like someone from the class.
- Sé que te gusta alguien, pero no lo dices.I know you like someone, but you don't say it.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their love lives.
- LucíaEstás muy sonriente, ¿te gusta alguien?You're smiling a lot, do you like someone?
- AlejandroSí, hay una chica en el trabajo.Yes, there is a girl at work.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! ¿Ella también te quiere?That's great! Does she like you too?
- AlejandroNo lo sé, todavía no he hablado con ella.I don't know, I haven't spoken with her yet.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alguien, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
