Video Blog #2: The verb “gustar” (to like) (Part 1)

This “Probadita de Español” (a little taste in Spanish) is about my favorite verb in Spanish, the verb "gustar" (to like).
After watching our video blog, reading our blog, reviewing our Quizlet and taking the test, you will have the tools to engage in a fluid dialogue with the “verb” gustar (to like).

Verbs that behave like the verb "gustar” require the use of a Direct Object,  a thing or person that directly receives the action of the verb. The Direct Object answers the question “what?” or “whom?” with regard to what the subject of the sentence is doing. For example:
A Alonzo le gustan los chocolates.

Alonzo likes chocolates.
What does Alonzo like? He likes chocolates.

“Chocolates” is receiving the action of the verb “gustar”. Therefore, “chocolates” is the direct object of the sentence. In a sentence with a verb like “gustar”, the thing being liked is ALSO the subject of the sentence. Therefore “chocolates” is both, the subject and the direct object of the sentence.  In Spanish when we say A Alonzo le gustan los chocolates, we are literally saying “Chocolates are pleasing to Alonzo.” This explains why the plural form of the verb “gustar”, “gustan” agrees with the plural subject “chocolates” and not with Alonzo who is doing the liking. Our connector for fluid conversation with verbs like “gustar” is “¿Y a ti? (literally "And to you?" Or “what about you?”) rather that “¿Y tú?” (Do you?).

Here’s an example:
Spanish: ¿Te gusta el chocolate? 

English:  Do you like chocolate? Literally “Is chocolate pleasing to you?”
Spanish: Sí me gusta el chocolate. ¿Y a ti?
English: Yes, I like chocolate. Do you? Or What about you? Literally “Yes, chocolate is pleasing to me. And to you?”
Spanish: A mí también.
English: Me too!. Literally “To me too.”
Spanish: ¿Te gusta el chocolate blanco? 
English:  Do you like white chocolate? Literally “Is white chocolate pleasing to you?”
Spanish: No me gusta el chocolate blanco. ¿Y a ti?
English: I don’t like white chocolate. Do you? Or What about you? Literally “White chocolate isn’t pleasing to me. And to you?”
Spanish: A mí tampoco.
English: Me neither!. Literally “To me neither.”

In this video blog we used the verb “gustar” (to like) and other verbs that behave like “gustar”, for example “encantar” (to love something), fascinar (also to love something but more powerful than “encantar”), and lastly “chocar” (to “hate” something or to severely dislike something). The verb “chocar” is colloquially used in place of “odiar” (to hate). In Mexico, we don’t use the verb “odiar” (to hate) lightly instead we use the verb “chocar” which literally means "to clash" or "to crash". We use "chocar" to express that we severely dislike something. If you ever listen to "Notes in Spanish" for inspired beginner by the wonderful Marina and Ben, you will hear that in Spain, speakers use the verb “odiar” as it’s used in the United States. For, example “Odio los chocolates.” “Me chocan los chocolates”. (“I hate chocolates.” Or I severely dislike chocolates. No es cierto, me encantan los chocolates. It’s not true. “I’m kidding, I love chocolates". Here’s the script for our video blog. Note that “ambas” and “las dos” mean “both" or two feminine items. Also “favorita” and “predilecta” mean “favorite” for a feminine noun.

Verbs that behave like the verb “Gustar” (Gustar-to like) (Part 1)

D: Hola mami. ¿Cómo estás? 
D: Hi Mom. How are you?
K: Yo muy bien. ¿Y tú? 

K: I'm very well. And you?
D:  De maravilla, gracias. Quisiera saber qué frutas te gustan.  ¿Te gusta la papaya?

D: Wonderfully, thank you. I would like to know what fruits you like. Do you like papaya?

K: ¿La Papaya? No me gusta, me encanta. ¿Y a ti? 

K: Papaya? I don’t like it, I love it. What about you?
D:  A mi también. ¿Te gusta el plátano? 

D: Me too. Do you like banana?
K: Los plátanos me chocan. ¿Y a ti? 

K: I “hate” bananas. What about you?
D:  Me encantan los plátanos.  ¿Te gusta el mango? 
D: I love bananas. Do you like mango?

K: El mango es mi fruta predilecta. ¿Y a ti te gusta? 
K: Mango is my “favorite” (preferred) fruit. Do you like it?

D:  A mí también. Me encanta.  ¿Te gusta la manzana? 
D: Me too. I love it. Do you like apples?

K:  La manzana me gusta mucho. ¿Y a ti? 
K: I like apples a lot. What about you?

D: Me encanta la manzana. ¿Te gusta la manzana roja o la manzana verde? 
D: I love apples. Do you like red or green apples?

K: ¿La manzana? Me gustan las dos. ¿Y a ti? 
K: Apples? I like them both. What about you?

D:  A mí también. Me gustan ambas. ¿Y, te gustan las naranjas? 
D: Me too. I like them both. And, do you like oranges?

K: Las naranjas me gustan mucho. ¿Y a ti?

K: I like oranges a lot. What about you?

D: A mi también. ¿Y te gusta la pera?
D: Me too. Do you like pear?

K:  La pera sí me gusta. ¿Y a ti?
K: Yes, I like pear. What about you?

D: A mí también. ¿Y te gusta la granada?
D: Me too. Do you like pomegranate?

K: La granada es una de mis frutas favoritas.  ¿Y a ti te gusta?
K: The pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits. Do you like it?

D: No me gusta, me fascina la granada.  Es mi fruta favorita.  Y esto es todo por hoy.
D: I don’t like it, I love pomegranate. It's my favorite fruit. And that's all for today.

Please review our Quizlet and don’t forget to take the test. This is all for this “probadita de español”. Come check out one of our classes in Austin, Texas, free of obligation. To schedule a class, please contact us at info@livethelanguage.org