7.4: Verbs like gustar

Question 1

Translate:

Me gusta ese champú.

Answer 1

English equivalent:

I like that shampoo.

Literal meaning:

To me, it is pleasing to me, that shampoo.
That shampoo is pleasing to me.

Question 2

Translate:

¿Te gustaron las clases?

Answer 2

English equivalent:

Did you like the classes?

Literal meaning:

To you, they were pleasing, the classes?
Were the classes pleasing to you?

Question 3

Constructions with gustar do not have a direct equivalent in English. The literal meaning of this construction is __________, and it requires the use of an __________.

Answer 3

to be pleasing to (someone); indirect object pronoun

Question 4

Me gusta ese champú.

The object being liked (__________) is really the subject of the sentence. The person who likes the object, in turn, is __________ because it answers the question: To whom is the shampoo pleasing?

Answer 4

ese champú; an indirect object

Question 5

¿Te gusta Juan Carlos?

What is the subject of this sentence? The indirect object?

Answer 5

Juan Carlos; you

Question 6

¿Me gustan los cafés que tienen música en vivo?

What is the subject of this sentence? The indirect object?

Answer 6

Los cafés que tienen música en vivo; me

Question 7

In Spanish, the following English verbs are used in the same way as gustar: to bore, to like very much, to love (inanimate objects), to lack, to need, to fascinate, to be important to, to matter, to be interesting to, to interest, to bother, to annoy, to be left over, to fit (clothing).

What are these verbs in Spanish?

Answer 7

to bore: aburrir
to like very much: encantar, fascinar
to love (inanimate objects): encantar
to lack: faltar
to need: faltar
to fascinate: fascinar
to be important to: importar
to matter: importar
to be interesting to: interesar
to interest: interesar
to bother: molestar
to annoy: molestar
to be left over: quedar
to fit (clothing): quedar

Question 8

Verbs like gustar:

aburrir

Answer 8

to bore

Question 9

Verbs like gustar:

encantar

Answer 9

to like very much; to love (inanimate objects)

Question 10

Verbs like gustar:

faltar

Answer 10

to lack; to need

Question 11

Verbs like gustar:

fascinar

Answer 11

to fascinate; to like very much

Question 12

Verbs like gustar:

importar

Answer 12

to be important to; to matter

Question 13

Verbs like gustar:

interesar

Answer 13

to be interesting to; to interest

Question 14

Verbs like gustar:

molestar

Answer 14

to bother; to annoy

Question 15

Verbs like gustar:

quedar

Answer 15

to be left over; to fit (clothing)

Question 16

_______ expresses what is lacking or missing.

Answer 16

Faltar

Question 17

Translate:

Me falta una página.

What is the subject? The object?

Answer 17

I’m missing one page. :: To me, it is missing, one page.

One page; me

Question 18

_______ expresses how much of something is left.

Answer 18

Quedar

Question 19

Translate:

Nos quedan tres pesos.

What is the subject? The object?

Answer 19

We have three pesos left. :: To us, they are left, three pesos.

Three pesos; us

Question 20

_______ also means to fit. It can be used to tell how something looks (on someone).

Answer 20

Quedar

Question 21

Translate:

Estos zapatos me quedan bien.

What is the subject? The object?

Answer 21

These shoes fit me well. :: These shoes, to me, they fit well.

These shoes; me

Question 22

Translate:

Esa camisa te queda muy bien.

The subject? Object?

Answer 22

This shirt looks good on you. :: This shirt, to you, it looks well.

This shirt; you

Question 23

The most commonly used verb forms of gustar and similar verbs are the _______ person (singular and plural). When the object or person being liked is singular, the singular form (present: _______; preterite: _______) is used. When two or more objects or persons are being liked, the plural form (present: _______; preterite: _______) is used.

Answer 23

third; gusta; gustó; gustan; gustaron

Question 24

To express what someone likes or does not like to do, use an appropriate verb followed by __________. The singular form is used even if there is more than one __________.

Answer 24

an infinitive; infinitive

Question 25

Translate:

Nos molesta comer a las nueve.

The subject? Object?

Answer 25

To us, it is annoying, to eat at nine. :: It bothers us to eat at a nine o’clock.

To eat at nine; us

Question 26

Translate:

Les encanta bailar y cantar en las fiestas.

The subject? Object?

Answer 26

To them, it is liked very much, to dance and to sing in the festivals. :: They love to dance and sing at parties.

To dance and to sing at parties; them

Question 27

The construction a + [pronoun] (a mí, a ti, a usted, a él, etc.) is used to clarify or to emphasize who is pleased, bored, etc. The construction a + [noun] can also be used before the indirect object pronoun to clarify or to emphasize who is pleased, bored, etc.

Answer 27

Note that a must be repeated if there is more than one person.

Example: A Armando y a Carmen les molesta levantarse temprano.

Question 28

Translate:

A Armando y a Carmen les molesta levantarse temprano.

The subject? Object?

Answer 28

To Armando and to Carmen, to them, it is annoying, to get (themselves) up early. :: It bothers Armando and Carmen to get up early.

To get up early; to them (Armando and Carmen)

Question 29

Translate:

A los turistas les gustó mucho Machu Picchu.

The subject? Object?

Answer 29

To the tourists, to them, it was very pleasing, Machu Picchu. :: The tourists liked Machu Picchu a lot. :: Machu Picchu was very pleasing to the tourists.

Machu Picchu; to them (the tourists)

Question 30

Translate:

A ti te gusta cenar en casa, pero a mí me aburre.

The subject? Object?

Answer 30

To you, to you, it is pleasing, to eat in home, but to me, to me, it is boring. :: To eat at home is pleasing, but it is boring to me. :: You like eating dinner at home, but I get bored.

To eat at home; you
It’s boring; me

Question 31

(English: me) has an accent mark to distinguish it from the possessive adjective (English: my).

Answer 31

Mí; my