Singular thing / infinitive
gusta
Spanish 101 · Grammar
Gustar
The thing you like is the grammatical subject; the person is an indirect object — English word order will mislead you.
The rule
Gusta with singular subject or infinitive subject: Me gusta el libro; Me gusta leer. Gustan with plural things: Me gustan las películas.
Clarify who with a + pronoun/noun: A ti te gusta, A mis padres les encanta cocinar.
Parallel verbs (encantar, importar, molestar, fascinar) use the same syntax: Les interesa la política.
Verb agrees with the thing liked, not with the person: Me gustan los tacos (tacos are plural → gustan).
¿Te gusta bailar salsa o merengue?Do you like to dance salsa or merengue?
A mis amigos no les gusta madrugar.My friends do not like to get up early.
Examples in context
Me gusta la música clásica.I like classical music.gustar — singular thing
Nos gustan las películas extranjeras.We like foreign films.gustar — plural
¿Te gusta estudiar en la biblioteca?Do you like studying in the library?gustar + infinitive
A mis padres les gusta caminar por el parque.My parents like walking in the park.clarifying a + name
No me gusta madrugar los lunes.I do not like getting up early on Mondays.negative + infinitive
¿A ustedes les gusta la comida de la cafetería?Do you all like the cafeteria food?ustedes → les
Me encantan los tacos de esta ciudad.I love the tacos in this city.encantar — plural
A Elena le gusta más el té que el café.Elena likes tea more than coffee.comparison of likes
Quick reference
Plural things
gustan
Person slots
me, te, le, nos, os, les
Common mistakes
Wrong agreement
❌ Wrong: La problema es fácil.
✅ Correct: El problema es fácil.
Problema is masculine despite ending in -a.
Double subjects
❌ Wrong: Yo soy yo estudiante.
✅ Correct: Soy estudiante.
Drop redundant subject pronouns when the verb ending is clear.
Negation placement
❌ Wrong: Entiendo no.
✅ Correct: No entiendo.
Place no immediately before the conjugated verb.
Literal word order
❌ Wrong: ¿Qué hora es qué?
✅ Correct: ¿Qué hora es?
Keep standard question frames; do not copy English order.
Practice questions
Test what you just learned. Select an answer to see instant feedback.
A mí _____ el chocolate.
A ellos _____ los deportes.
¿A ti _____ bailar salsa?
A nosotros no _____ madrugar.
A mi hermana _____ las películas de terror.
You got 0/5 correct.
Want more practice on Gustar?
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Start practicing free →FAQ
Why is it me gustan los libros and not yo gusto los libros?
The thing liked is the grammatical subject: Los libros me gustan. The verb agrees with that subject (gustan for plural). The person experiencing the liking is an indirect object (me, te, le…). English word order hides this, so the structure feels backward at first.
Gusta or gustan after an infinitive?
An infinitive acting as the subject is singular: Me gusta nadar. Plural nouns take gustan: Me gustan las películas. If both appear, the first subject or the noun usually controls agreement—follow examples from your text.
How do I say “I like you” romantically vs. “I like your class”?
Affection between people often uses caer bien or querer depending on region and level. Plain gustar with people can sound like a personality judgment (Me caes bien). For coursework, drill gustar with things and activities first; interpersonal nuances come with more input.
What if the indirect object is a name?
You still need an indirect object pronoun in standard Spanish, often doubled for clarity: A María le gusta el té. The a María clarifies who le refers to. Exams usually reward both pronoun and optional clarifier when prompted.
Does encantar work like gustar?
Yes—encantar is another “backwards” verb: Me encanta la música. Agreement and pronouns follow the same logic as gustar. Your textbook may group several verbs (fascinar, importar, molestar) in the same pattern.