Me gusta vs. me gustan
Look at what you like, not who likes it: Me gusta + singular noun or verb (me gusta bailar), me gustan + plural (me gustan las películas de miedo). Add a mí / a ti / a Ana for emphasis or clarity: A Ana le gusta el té. The other forms are for people: me gustas = I like you (romantically!).
Indicative tenses of gustar
Facts and things that happen: the tenses you'll use most.
Present indicative
| yo | gustoI please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustasyou please |
| él/ella/usted | gustahe/she pleases |
| nosotros/as | gustamoswe please |
| vosotros/as | gustáisyou all please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustanthey please |
In practice you mostly use gusta (one thing) and gustan (several things): me gusta el café, me gustan los perros.
Preterite indicative
| yo | gustéI pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | gustasteyou pleased |
| él/ella/usted | gustóhe/she pleased |
| nosotros/as | gustamoswe pleased |
| vosotros/as | gustasteisyou all pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustaronthey pleased |
Imperfect indicative
| yo | gustabaI used to please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustabasyou used to please |
| él/ella/usted | gustabahe/she used to please |
| nosotros/as | gustábamoswe used to please |
| vosotros/as | gustabaisyou all used to please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustabanthey used to please |
Present continuous indicative
| yo | estoy gustandoI am pleasing |
|---|---|
| tú | estás gustandoyou are pleasing |
| él/ella/usted | está gustandohe/she is pleasing |
| nosotros/as | estamos gustandowe are pleasing |
| vosotros/as | estáis gustandoyou all are pleasing |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están gustandothey are pleasing |
estar + gerund
Informal future indicative
| yo | voy a gustarI am going to please |
|---|---|
| tú | vas a gustaryou are going to please |
| él/ella/usted | va a gustarhe/she is going to please |
| nosotros/as | vamos a gustarwe are going to please |
| vosotros/as | vais a gustaryou all are going to please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van a gustarthey are going to please |
ir a + infinitive
Future indicative
| yo | gustaréI will please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustarásyou will please |
| él/ella/usted | gustaráhe/she will please |
| nosotros/as | gustaremoswe will please |
| vosotros/as | gustaréisyou all will please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustaránthey will please |
Conditional indicative
| yo | gustaríaI would please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustaríasyou would please |
| él/ella/usted | gustaríahe/she would please |
| nosotros/as | gustaríamoswe would please |
| vosotros/as | gustaríaisyou all would please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustaríanthey would please |
Present perfect indicative
| yo | he gustadoI have pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | has gustadoyou have pleased |
| él/ella/usted | ha gustadohe/she has pleased |
| nosotros/as | hemos gustadowe have pleased |
| vosotros/as | habéis gustadoyou all have pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han gustadothey have pleased |
haber (present) + past participle
Past perfect indicative
| yo | había gustadoI had pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | habías gustadoyou had pleased |
| él/ella/usted | había gustadohe/she had pleased |
| nosotros/as | habíamos gustadowe had pleased |
| vosotros/as | habíais gustadoyou all had pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habían gustadothey had pleased |
haber (imperfect) + past participle
Future perfect indicative
| yo | habré gustadoI will have pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | habrás gustadoyou will have pleased |
| él/ella/usted | habrá gustadohe/she will have pleased |
| nosotros/as | habremos gustadowe will have pleased |
| vosotros/as | habréis gustadoyou all will have pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán gustadothey will have pleased |
haber (future) + past participle
Conditional perfect indicative
| yo | habría gustadoI would have pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | habrías gustadoyou would have pleased |
| él/ella/usted | habría gustadohe/she would have pleased |
| nosotros/as | habríamos gustadowe would have pleased |
| vosotros/as | habríais gustadoyou all would have pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrían gustadothey would have pleased |
haber (conditional) + past participle
Subjunctive tenses of gustar
Wishes, doubts, emotions and "if" sentences.
Present subjunctive
| yo | guste(that) I please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustes(that) you please |
| él/ella/usted | guste(that) he/she pleases |
| nosotros/as | gustemos(that) we please |
| vosotros/as | gustéis(that) you all please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gusten(that) they please |
Imperfect subjunctive
| yo | gustara(if) I pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | gustaras(if) you pleased |
| él/ella/usted | gustara(if) he/she pleased |
| nosotros/as | gustáramos(if) we pleased |
| vosotros/as | gustarais(if) you all pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustaran(if) they pleased |
Future subjunctive
| yo | gustare(if) I please |
|---|---|
| tú | gustares(if) you please |
| él/ella/usted | gustare(if) he/she pleases |
| nosotros/as | gustáremos(if) we please |
| vosotros/as | gustareis(if) you all please |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | gustaren(if) they please |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Present perfect subjunctive
| yo | haya gustado(that) I have pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas gustado(that) you have pleased |
| él/ella/usted | haya gustado(that) he/she has pleased |
| nosotros/as | hayamos gustado(that) we have pleased |
| vosotros/as | hayáis gustado(that) you all have pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan gustado(that) they have pleased |
haber (present subj.) + past participle
Past perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiera gustado(if) I had pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieras gustado(if) you had pleased |
| él/ella/usted | hubiera gustado(if) he/she had pleased |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos gustado(if) we had pleased |
| vosotros/as | hubierais gustado(if) you all had pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieran gustado(if) they had pleased |
haber (imperfect subj.) + past participle
Future perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiere gustado(if) I will have pleased |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieres gustado(if) you will have pleased |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere gustado(if) he/she will have pleased |
| nosotros/as | hubiéremos gustado(if) we will have pleased |
| vosotros/as | hubiereis gustado(if) you all will have pleased |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren gustado(if) they will have pleased |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Imperative tenses of gustar
Commands and instructions.
Affirmative imperative
| tú | gustaplease! |
|---|---|
| usted | gusteplease! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | gustemoslet's please! |
| vosotros/as | gustadplease! (you all) |
| ustedes | gustenplease! (you all, formal) |
Negative imperative
| tú | no gustesdon't please! |
|---|---|
| usted | no gustedon't please! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | no gustemoslet's not please! |
| vosotros/as | no gustéisdon't please! (you all) |
| ustedes | no gustendon't please! (you all, formal) |
Practice gustar
Two quick exercises. No sign-up, no app: just you and gustar.
How to use gustar
Me gusta mucho el café.
I really like coffee.
Me gustan los perros.
I like dogs.
¿Te gusta bailar?
Do you like dancing?
A mi madre le gusta leer.
My mother likes reading.
Me gustas mucho.
I really like you.
Example sentences with gustar
- ¿Te gustó la película?Did you like the film?
- No nos gustaron los postres.We didn't like the desserts.
- De niño me gustaban los dinosaurios.As a kid I liked dinosaurs.
- Te va a gustar este sitio.You're going to like this place.
- Me gustaría un café, por favor.I'd like a coffee, please.
- Espero que te guste el regalo.I hope you like the present.
- ¿Os ha gustado Madrid?Did you all like Madrid?
- Les gusta mucho viajar.They really like travelling.
Verbs like gustar
Gustar works "backwards", and so do encantar (to love), interesar, molestar (to bother) and doler (to hurt): me encanta, me duele la cabeza.
Frequently asked questions about gustar
Is gustar regular or irregular?
Gustar is completely regular — it just works "backwards": the thing you like is the subject.
When do I use gusta and when gustan?
Gusta with one thing or a verb, gustan with plural things: me gusta el té, me gustan los gatos.
How do you say "I like you"?
Me gustas. Careful: it's romantic! For friends, me caes bien.
How do you say "I would like"?
Me gustaría — the polite way to ask for something.
Why do people say "a mí me gusta"?
A mí adds emphasis or contrast: "I like it (even if you don't)".
What is the past participle of gustar?
The past participle is gustado: ¿te ha gustado? (did you like it?).
Free cheat sheet
All 18 tenses of gustar, on one page.
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