gustar

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

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /ɡusˈta/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ɡusˈtaɾ/
• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

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

1. to taste

   Synonym: tastar

• gust

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

gustar (first-person singular present gusto, first-person singular preterite gustei, past participle gustado)

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

• gusto

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

1. to taste

• gust

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

• IPA^(key): /ɡuˈstar/

gustar

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

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

Borrowed in this form from Latin gustāre, present active infinitive of gustō. Replaced the inherited Old Spanish form gostar[1]. See gusto. The use of this verb to mean "like" is a uniquely Ibero-Romance development.

• IPA^(key): /ɡusˈtaɾ/, [ɡusˈt̪aɾ]

gustar (first-person singular present gusto, first-person singular preterite gusté, past participle gustado)

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

• (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

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.

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 gusta(n) Y

• I like Y.

a ti te gusta(n) Y

• You 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 "gusta(n)."

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