Want to tell Spanish-speaking friends what you like (and don’t)? In this lesson, you’ll master the super-useful structure “me gusta / no me gusta.” We’ll keep it simple, show you common phrases, and give you quick exercises so you can start using them right away.

Core phrases: Me gusta / No me gusta

In Spanish, to say “I like” you say:

• "me gusta" (I like — with a singular thing or an activity)
• "me gustan" (I like — with plural things)
• "no me gusta" / "no me gustan" (I don’t like)

Think of it like this: the thing is liked, and "me" shows who likes it. "gusta" agrees with the thing: singular = gusta, plural = gustan.

Me la música.

Quick vocab you’ll use a lot

Below are handy phrases and nouns you’ll use with gusta/gustan.

Plural vs. singular: get it right

• Singular thing → me gusta: "Me gusta el cine" (I like the cinema).
• Plural things → me gustan: "Me gustan las series" (I like shows).

Activities also use gusta: "Me gusta nadar" (I like to swim).

Me los gatos.

Me gusta las películas. → Me gustan las películas. Use gustan with plural nouns (películas is plural).

Asking and answering about likes

To ask someone what they like: "¿Te gusta…?"

• "¿Te gusta el café?" (Do you like coffee?)
• "¿Te gustan las vacaciones?" (Do you like vacations?)

Answers:

• "Sí, me gusta." / "Sí, me gustan." (Yes, I like it/them.)
• "No, no me gusta." / "No, no me gustan." (No, I don’t like it/them.)
• Add intensity: "Me gusta mucho" (I really like), "No me gusta nada" (I don’t like it at all).

Emphasizing or clarifying who likes

Sometimes you add "a + person" for clarity or emphasis:

• "A mí me gusta el té." (I like tea — emphasized.)
• "A Ana le gusta el té." (Ana likes tea.)
• "A ellos no les gustan los tomates." (They don’t like tomatoes.)

This is useful when multiple people are in the conversation or to highlight your preference.

Liking activities (use the infinitive)

To talk about liking an activity, use an infinitive (the base verb):

• "Me gusta bailar." (I like to dance.)
• "No me gusta cocinar." (I don’t like to cook.)
• "Nos gusta viajar." (We like to travel.)

Notice it’s always gusta with activities, never gustan.

No me correr.

Me gustan bailar. → Me gusta bailar. With activities, use singular gusta + infinitive.

Mini cultural notes

• In Spanish, people often use "me gusta mucho" to sound friendly and positive, and "no me gusta mucho" to soften a negative.
• To say you LOVE something, use "me encanta": "Me encanta el chocolate." (I love chocolate.) This is similar to gustar (me/te/le…).
• Spain vs. Latin America: You’ll hear both. In Spain, "os gusta" is used for "you all like" (vosotros). In Latin America, people usually use "les gusta" for "you all like" (ustedes). At A1, you can focus on me/te/le/nos/les.

Try more examples (read and translate)

Read these and say them out loud. Then try switching the nouns to things you like!

Quick summary

• Use me/te/le/nos/les before gusta/gustan.
• gusta = singular noun or activity; gustan = plural nouns.
• Ask with ¿Te gusta…? Answer with Sí, me gusta / No, no me gusta.
• Add emphasis with A mí / A Ana, and intensity with mucho / nada.

You’ve got this! Next time you meet a Spanish speaker, share a like: "Me gusta la música" — and ask about theirs: "¿Te gusta la música?" Keep practicing with the exercises above and swap in your own favorite foods, hobbies, and movies.