te encanta
/te enkanta/from spelling rules
To say "you really like something" in Spanish, use te encanta.
This phrase is used to express that someone has a strong fondness for or a great love for something. It expresses a much higher level of enjoyment or passion than the standard te gusta.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te encanta means "it enchants you". In this structure, the thing being liked functions as the grammatical subject of the sentence.
Which one should you use?
While te encanta expresses a strong passion, the phrase te gusta is used for a more moderate level of liking.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb must agree with the thing being liked. If you are talking about a single thing, use te encanta, but if the thing you like is plural, you must use the plural form te encantan. When addressing someone using the formal usted, use le encanta instead of te encanta.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly treat te encanta as "you love it". However, in Spanish, the thing being liked is the grammatical subject, not the person.
Did you know?
- While 'love' is the common translation, using te encanta to describe a hobby or a food is safer than using the verb amar, which is often reserved for deep, romantic, or spiritual love.
- The word encanta comes from the same Latin root as the English 'enchant', implying that the thing you like has a magical or spellbinding quality over you.
- In some dialects, speakers might use me flipa as a slang alternative to me encanta to express that something is mind-blowing.
Examples in context
- Estoy encantado con esta pintura.I'm delighted with this painting.
- Me fascina su nueva novela.I'm fascinated with your new novel.
- Me chiflan los helados.I'm crazy about ice cream.
- Me flipa esta banda de música.I love this music band.
- Esta serie de televisión me mola mogollón.I really like this TV series a lot.
- ¡Me gusta mucho la comida mexicana!I really like Mexican food!
- Me encanta bailar salsa y me fascina tocar la guitarra.I love dancing salsa, and I'm fascinated with playing the guitar.
- Te encanta este restaurante.You really like this restaurant.
- A ti te encanta viajar.You really love traveling.
- Te encanta la música clásica.You really love classical music.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a new hobby at a cafe.
- Javier¿Te encanta la fotografía?Do you really love photography?
- ElenaSí, me encanta tomar fotos.Yes, I love taking photos.
- JavierSe nota, eres muy buena.It shows, you are very good.
- ElenaGracias, Javier.Thanks, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
