gustar

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin gustō, gustāre, possibly a semi-learned term or early borrowing; cf. gust.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ɡusˈta]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ɡusˈtaɾ]
• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

gustar (first-person singular present gusto, first-person singular preterite gustí, past participle gustat)

1. to taste

   Synonym: tastar

Related terms

• gust

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Galician

Etymology

Probably borrowed from Latin gusto, gustare. Compare Portuguese gostar.

Verb

1. to please, like
2. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of gustar
3. first/third-person singular personal infinitive of gustar

Related terms

• gusto

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Ido

Verb

gustar (present tense gustas, past tense gustis, future tense gustos, imperative gustez, conditional gustus)

1. to taste

Conjugation

    Conjugation of gustar

		present		past		future
infinitive		gustar		gustir		gustor
tense		gustas		gustis		gustos
conditional		gustus
imperative		gustez
adjective active participle		gustanta		gustinta		gustonta
adverbial active participle		gustante		gustinte		gustonte
nominal active participle	singular	gustanto		gustinto		gustonto
	plural	gustanti		gustinti		gustonti
adjective passive participle		gustata		gustita		gustota
adverbial passive participle		gustate		gustite		gustote
nominal passive participle	singular	gustato		gustito		gustoto
	plural	gustati		gustiti		gustoti

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Romanian

Alternative forms

• gust

Etymology

Either from gust +‎ -ar or from Latin augustālis, from augustus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡuˈstar/

Noun

gustar

1. (popular/folk usage) August (eighth month of the Gregorian calendar)

Synonyms

• august (standard/most common)
• agust (popular/folk name, rare)
• măsălar (popular/folk name)

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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed in this form from Latin gustāre, present active infinitive of gustō. Replaced the inherited Old Spanish form gostar. See gusto. The use of this verb to mean "like" is a uniquely Ibero-Romance development.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡusˈtaɾ/ [ɡusˈt̪aɾ]

Verb

1. (intransitive) (followed by a or preceded by an indirect object) to be pleasing to (usually translated into English as like with exchange of the subject and object)

   Me gusta esta manzana ― I like this apple. (literally, “This apple is pleasing to me.”)

2. (intransitive, dated) to taste

Synonyms

• (to like something): antojar, apetecer, encantar, molar (colloquial, Spain)
• (to like somebody, not romantically): agradar, parecer bien, caer bien (colloquial)
• (to like somebody romantically): estar enamorado de, encularse de (vulgar, El Salvador)
• (to like doing something): adorar, encantar, fascinar
• (to taste): probar, catar, degustar, saborear

Usage notes

Gustar is usually translated to English with the verb to like. This causes confusion for some English speakers studying Spanish, because the subject and object of gustar are seemingly reversed from those of to like. That is, the subject of gustar is the thing that pleases and the (indirect) object is the person who is pleased. A commonly used method is to think of gustar as literally meaning to be pleasing to.

Me gusta la canción. ― I like the song. (literally, “The song is pleasing to me.”)

No me gustan las espinacas. ― I don't like spinach. (literally, “The spinach is not pleasing to me.”)

¿Te gusto? ― Do you like me? (literally, “Am I pleasing to you?”)

Le gusto a María ― Maria likes me. (literally, “I am pleasing to Maria.”)

However, compare with the archaic meaning of to like:

No me gusta su semblante. ― His countenance likes me not.

Some more examples:

a X le(s) gusta(n) Y

• X like(s) Y.

  A los pájaros les gusta cantar. ― Birds like to sing.

  A la chica le gustan las flores. ― The girl likes flowers.

  A María le gusta el jugo de manzana. ― Mary likes apple juice.

a mí me gustaba(n) Y

• I used to like Y.

a ti te gustaría(n) Y

• You would like Y.

a nosotros nos gusta(n) Y

• We like Y.

  A nosotros nos gusta divertirnos en el jardín. — We like to have fun in the garden.

a vosotros os gusta(n) Y

• You like Y.

a usted le gusta(n) Y

• You like Y.

X must agree in number (and person) with "le(s)," and Y must agree in number with the verb form of "gustar"

Derived terms

• como guste
• disgustar
• gustosamente
• gustoso

 

Related terms

• degustar
• gusto
• pregustar

 

Descendants

• → Mecayapan Nahuatl: quigustarohua

See also

• agradar
• deleitar
• detestar (“to detest”)
• encantar
• odiar (“to hate”)