Me gusta "singular" or Me gustan "plural"

Question

Me gustan tomar el café y té. - I like to drink coffee and tea.

Or is it me gusta?

Answer 1

Gustar is a strange verb when it comes to compound subjects. See this discussion.

Gracias, Q you've helped several of us a great deal with this topic! - bandit51jd, Mar 1, 2011

Answer 2

I am guessing me gusta because "it" the sea pleases me or "it" the sun pleases me. There really isn't a plural subject, the concept of they never really comes into play? I will await more fluent speakers to correct me or give you the go ahead on the master plan; for now, sleep is calling me!!

I think you are right.

My above works for verbs but not nouns. How about this:

Reduce the sentence mathematically to it's simplest form using it or they:

I like cars - cars please me - they please me, cars - los carros me gustan.

I like the sea and the sun - I like the sea and I like the sun - I like (the sea + the sun) - It pleases me (the sea + the sun) - me gusta (el mar + el sol) - me gusta el mar y el sol.

I could use sleep too but I have to finish Star Wars (A New Hope).

I think I see the algebra expression that you are using. It was challenging to think about gustar this way! Muchas gracias! - bandit51jd, Mar 2, 2011

Well, if maths is not your bag, maybe I could say it in poetry, or something :-) - afowen, Mar 2, 2011

Answer 3

I see a potential flaw in my masterplan. What if we use nouns instead of verbs:

Me gustan el mar y el sol o me gusta el mar y el sol?

Answer 4

I agree with afowen.

I would like to add an example using plural:

Me gustan beber y comer todos los días.

Does this sound okay?

Edit:

Okay, so my example doesn't work as plural. Thanks for the comments and links.

No, see the link in my reply. (specifically, Lazarus' reply.) - 0074b507, Mar 1, 2011

If you 'do the math' then think of it as me gusta (beber y comer)... - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

yes it refers to "them" several,so I think thats right - pacofinkler, Mar 1, 2011

Paco - see my edit - I've not thought it through fully be it seems to work. - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

*but - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

I still think its correct Afowen - pacofinkler, Mar 2, 2011

Answer 5

Translate gustar as to please, rather than to like. It is much easier to understand that way.

First change the verb to like for the verb to please:

I like to drink coffee and tea - to drink coffee and tea pleases me.

Then translate to Spanish:

To drink is one thing, it is singular therefore IT pleases you - me gusta:

Me gusta tomar café y té.

EDIT

I've just read the link regarding the 'strange behaviour' of gustar with regards to compound subjects. For English speakers this needn't be at all strange:

Simply reform your sentence using it or they in place of the subjects then translate into Spanish: simple!

A RETHINK AFTER QUENTIN'S COMMENT - put the it/they at the start of the sentence:

I like to drink and (to) smoke - It pleases me to drink and (to) smoke:

Me gusta tomar y fumar.

I like cars - they please me, cars:

Me gustan los carros.

Great answer ! Very easily understood even by this dunderhead. - ray76, Mar 1, 2011

Yes, but in English we say To drink and to smoke (they) please me, not it. - 0074b507, Mar 1, 2011

Thanks Ray. I really do not understand why the use of verbs like gustar are not taught this way. Maybe I should patent it :-) - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

Put the it/they first. They please me to drink and smoke or it pleases me to drink and smoke? - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

http://www.towson.edu/ows/moduleSVAGR.htm English conpound subject/verb agreement. - 0074b507, Mar 1, 2011

That is a lot of info, I scanned it but didn't find what might be relevant. - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

Answer 6

I am guessing me gusta because "it" the sea pleases me or "it" the sun pleases me. There really isn't a plural subject, the concept of they never really comes into play? I will await more fluent speakers to correct me or give you the go ahead on the master plan; for now, sleep is calling me!!

Answer 7

Me gusta beber y comer todos los días.

Is singular because the action of all day eating and drinking pleases me (using afowen's reasoning)

So how is the plural formed? Something like "Me gustan las manzanas"?

Because apples please me, they (apples) please me?

Am I getting the sense of basic "me gustan/gustan"?

Apples please you - they please you - te gustan las manzanas :-) - afowen, Mar 1, 2011

I think I'm getting the sense of pleasing me, "it" for singular (including compound subjects) and "they" for plural! - bandit51jd, Mar 1, 2011

I think so, plurals are plurals, if you can reduce, in mathematical form, the sentence to the structure: I like (x + y + z) then IT pleases you. - afowen, Mar 1, 2011