I do not understand Gustar

Question

I need to answer the following questions using this model:

¿Te gustan las las ensaladas? (Do you like salads?) Sí, me gustan las ensaladas. (Yes, I do like salads.) o No, no me gustían las ensaladas. (No, I don't like salads.)

So you can see, I need to use the proper form of gustar as well as the proper verb form. HELP!!!

PS. I am meeting with my Spanish instructor tomorrow but was hoping to get at least some of my homework done before then. But I am struggling. Thanks. Anyway, here are the questions I need to translate using gustar and verb conjugations, etc.:

1. Encantar / las canciones románticas

Should it be “Te encantan las canciones románticas”?

1. Interesar / las novellas de misterio

Should it be “Te interesan las novellas de misterio?

1. Gustar / los libros para jóvenes

Should it be “Te gustan los libros para jóvenes”?

1. Molestar / el problema del tráfico

Should it be “Te molestan el problema del tráfico”?

1. Preocupar / los problemas ecológicos

Should it be “Te gustan preocupas los problemas ecológicos”?

1. Fascinar / las nuevas tecnologías

Should it be “Te gustan fascinas las nuevas tecnologías

1. Gustar / el cine mexicano

Should it be “Te gustan el cine mexicano”?

1. Caer mal / las personas que fuman

Umm . . . I don’t even know what this says.

They're mostly correct, good job. - Dakie, Jan 23, 2011

Seriously? Cuz I am completely lost on this. - SusanaArlena, Jan 23, 2011

Answer 1

Ok the trick with GUSTAR and some of the other verbs you are studying is that they say it when the want to say I like it the gramtical phase is very different in Spanish. What they say is " it pleases me"

Me gusta = it pleases me or it is pleasing to me

This is very different form English where we say "I like it"

So Spanish speakers would say the book pleases me. Me gusta el libro. Me gustan los libros. Note how the number of things (one or several) changes the verb

Now if I wanted to say we like it I would work with the word that proceds the verb. I like the book; me gusta el libro, we like= nos gusta el libro, you like = te gusta el libro he likes it.

I have to say this is a basic grammatical concept that needs to be learned. There are several verbs that behave this way and you need to memorize them. That is why you have this list from your teacher.

By the way you need to know that the verb after gustar needs to be in the infinitive.

Thanks. Comment noted. - SusanaArlena, Jan 23, 2011

Answer 2

Caer bien/mal mean to like or dislike a person in a platonic way. If you were to use gustar in this case it would be interpreted romantically

Answer 3

Just in case check this for more info on gustar:

all about gustar

Thanks. This is actulally more helpful than my textbook! - SusanaArlena, Jan 23, 2011

Answer 4

Should it be “Te molestan el problema del tráfico”?

It should be 'Te molesta'.

Should it be “Te gustan el cine mexicano”?

It should be 'Te gusta'.

The rest are all correct.

Follow this simple formula: if the object is plural, like 'libros', then the verb should be 'they', As in Spanish it is, 'the books are pleasing to me'. - johndoe04, Jan 23, 2011

"they" so it should be like, "me gustan libros"? (I like them.) - SusanaArlena, Jan 23, 2011

Answer 5

Here it is my correction:

. Encantar / las canciones románticas

“¿Te encantan las canciones románticas”?

. Interesar / las novelas de misterio

“¿Te interesan las novelas de misterio?

1. Gustar / los libros para jóvenes

“¿Te gustan los libros para jóvenes”?

1. Molestar / el problema del tráfico

“¿Te molesta el problema del tráfico”?

1. Preocupar / los problemas ecológicos

“¿Te preocupan los problemas ecológicos”?

1. Fascinar / las nuevas tecnologías

“¿Te fascinan las nuevas tecnologías?

1. Gustar / el cine mexicano

“¿Te gusta el cine mexicano”?

1. Caer mal / las personas que fuman

“¿Te caen mal las personas que fuman? (Do you hate smokers?)