te gusta más
/te ɡusta mas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you like something more" is translated into Spanish as te gusta más.
This phrase is used to say that a person prefers one thing over another. To perform a comparison and say you like something more than something else, you can use the comparative structure más que.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of te (to you), gusta (it pleases) and más (more).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ɡusta mas/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When comparing two things, English speakers often forget that when comparing two things, you must use que instead of como to say "more than".
Did you know?
- In some dialects, speakers may use te mola más as an extremely informal alternative to te gusta más, particularly in Spain.
- The word más shares a common ancestor with the English word 'master', as both stem from the Latin 'magister', meaning a person of greater influence or learning.
- If you are speaking to someone in a formal setting, te gusta más becomes le gusta más. Using the informal te with a stranger or superior can be seen as unexpectedly bold or disrespectful.
Examples in context
- Me gusta más la comida italiana que la chinaI like Italian food more than Chinese food
- Prefiero el cine al teatroI prefer movies over theater
- Me resulta más agradable escuchar música clásica que música popI find classical music more agreeable than pop music
- Estoy más inclinada hacia las novelas de misterioI am more inclined towards mystery novels
- Me gusta más este color de camisetaI like this color of t-shirt more
- Me mola más salir con mis amigos que quedarme en casaI like going out with my friends more than staying at home
- Me chifla el cine de terrorI love horror movies
- Prefiero la playa antes que la montañaI prefer the beach over the mountains
- Me cae mejor Juan que PedroI like Juan better than Pedro
- Te gusta más el café que el té.You like coffee more than tea.
- ¿Te gusta más esta película?Do you like this movie more?
- Sé que te gusta más viajar en tren.I know you like traveling by train more.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are choosing a restaurant for dinner.
- Elena¿Te gusta más la comida italiana?Do you like Italian food more?
- JavierSí, me gusta más que la comida mexicana.Yes, I like it more than Mexican food.
- ElenaEntonces, vamos al restaurante nuevo.Then, let's go to the new restaurant.
- JavierPerfecto, me parece una buena idea.Perfect, that sounds like a good idea to me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries más, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
