how to use the verb gustar
please in the teachers explaination she only used the verb gustar with the conjugation with third person singular and plural when do we use the other conjugations?
6 Answers
Verb like "GUSTAR" requires use of the IO pronouns.
Me gusta el cuarto. I like the room.
Nos gustan los libros. We like the books.
Examine the same sentences more closely. I like the room.
I = subject of sentence like = verb the room = direct object
Let's see the following example:
Me gustan los libros.
Literal Translation: To me are pleasing the books. Actual Translation: I like the books.
Notice that gustar is conjugated as "gustan" not "gusto." A common mistake is to say "Me gusto los libros." This is incorrect because the subject of the sentence is "los libros" even though it comes at the end. Remember, the verb is conjugated to agree with the subject of the sentence.
Me gustan los libros. (I like the books.)
Notice that the conjugation of gustar changes to "gusta" when the subject of the sentence is singular.
Me gusta el libro. (I like the book.)
Since the subject of the sentence must be either singular (book) or plural (books), the only forms of gustar you will use are "gusta" and "gustan." This is true regardless of what IO pronoun appears in the sentence.
Me gusta el libro. I like the book.
Te gusta el libro. You like the book.
Nos gusta el libro. We like the book.
Me gustan los libros. I like the books.
Te gustan los libros. You like the books.
Nos gustan los libros. We like the books.
Remember, gustar becomes either gusta or gustan, depending upon whether the subject of the sentence is singular or plural. It has nothing to do with which IO pronoun is used.
Subject is singular - use gusta: Me gusta el libro. Te gusta el libro.
Subject is plural - use gustan: Me gustan los libros. Te gustan los libros.
Remember, the IO pronoun is not the subject of the sentence! Nos gustamos ... incorrect! Te gustas ... incorrect!
Here are some examples of the correct use of gustar. Notice that the only forms of gustar that appear are gusta and gustan, even though each of the IO pronouns is used.
Singular Subject Plural Subject Me gusta la casa. Me gustan las casas. Te gusta el cuarto. Te gustan los cuartos. Le gusta la silla. Le gustan las sillas. Nos gusta el hotel. Nos gustan los hoteles. Os gusta la comida. Os gustan las comidas. Les gusta el reloj. Les gustan los relojes.
You can also use a prepositional phrase to add emphasis.
A Juan le gusta el café. John likes coffee.
A mí me gusta el té. I like tea.
Now that you know how to correctly use the verb gustar, here is a list of verbs that operate in the same manner:
aburrir -to bore fascinar -to be fascinating to bastar -to be sufficient importar -to be important to caer bien (mal) -to (not) suit interesar -to be interesting to dar asco -to be loathsome molestar -to be a bother disgustar -to hate something parecer -to appear to be doler (o:ue) -to be painful picar -to itch encantar -to "love" something quedar -to be left over, remain faltar -to be lacking something volver (o:ue) loco -to be crazy about
Thank you.
HI Mey, please have a look at this compilation of everything on the verb gustar, look at the flashcards, I created it with sentences to see the usage 
You have asked a very good question. The dictionary at the top of the page has a few suggestions in addition to many for the 3rd person.
Gustar
intransitive verb
1. to be pleasing (agradar)
• me gusta ir al cine -> I like going to the cinema
• me gustan las novelas -> I like novels
• así me gusta, has hecho un buen trabajo -> that's what I like to see, you've done a fine job
• hazlo como más te guste -> do it whichever way you see fit, do it however you like
2. (atraer)
• me gusta Andrés -> I fancy Andrés
• me gustas mucho -> I like you a lot, I really like you
3. (en fórmulas de cortesía)
• como/cuando guste -> as/whenever you wish
• ¿gustas? -> would you like some? (¿quieres?)
4. (Formal)
• gustar de hacer algo -> to like o enjoy doing something
transitive verb
5. to taste, to try (saborear, probar)
Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited
Gustar [goos-tar’]
article & verb transitive
1. To taste.
2. To preceive by the taste.
verb neuter
3. To like, to love. (n)
4. To enjoy a thing. (n)
• Gustar de -> to like to
5. To experience, to examine. (n)
6. To take pleasure or delight in a thing, to be pleased with. (n)
• La comedia no gustó -> the play was not a success
7. Me gusta el té, I like tea. (n)
• No le gusta que le llamen Pepe -> he doesn’t like to be called Joe
• Me gusta como anda -> I like the way she walks
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when do we use the other conjugations?
When it is not he, she or it that pleases, but I or you:
¿Te gusto? = Am I pleasing to you (i.e. Do you like me?)
¿Te gustamos? = Am we pleasing to you (i.e. Do you like us?)
Me gustas mucho = You are very pleasing to me (I like you a lot)
Me gustan/gustáis mucho = You guys are very pleasing to me (I like you guys a lot)
Le gustas mucho = You are very pleasing to him/her (He/she likes you a lot)
Le gustan/gustáis mucho = You guys are very pleasing to him/her (He/she likes you guys a lot)
For some stupid reason, some books and grammars say that "gustar" is only used in the third person. Obviously, you don't talk to things, so you will never use "you" or "I" to tell a thing that you are pleasing to it, or to tell it that it is pleasing to you, so when you like things, it is always in the third person.
Welcome to the forum!
We have a reference article on gustar. You may also like to explore the reference section. Just click the "Reference" link under the "More" menu up top... ¡Hasta luego!
