What is the difference between saying me gusta and me gustaria?
Does it mean something different when you say one or the other?
5 Answers
Same as between "I like" and "I would like": one is present and the other is conditional.
Me gusta = I like; me gustaría = I would like. (conditional tense) It is a little softer if you are making a request.
I would like - me gustaría
I like - me gusta
Welcome to the forum, Corey 
.
Me gusta = I like Me gusta galletas = I like cookies!
Me gustaría = I would like [sort of a request] Me gustaría una galleta = I would like a cookie.
Basically, it's just as it is in English - (something) pleases me or (something) would please me. There are certain grammatical construction which require the conditional tense, for example:
To express speculation about the past:
Aquél día correrían más de veinticinco kilómetros. / That day they must have run more than 25 kilometers.
To express the future from the perspective of the past:
Yo sabía que abrirían la tienda a las siete. / I knew that they would open the store at seven o'clock.
To express hypothetical actions or events which may or may not occur:
Sería interesante estudiar chino. / It would be interesting to study Chinese.
To indicate what would happen were it not for some certain specific circumstance:
Yo viajaría pero no tengo dinero. / I would travel but I don't have money.
For polite use to soften requests: Por favor, ¿podría decirme a qué hora abre la gasolinera ? / Could you please tell me what time the gas station opens?
To ask for advice:
¿Cuál compraría Ud.? / Which one would you buy?
For reported speech:
Juan dijo que terminaría el trabajo. / Juan said that he would finish the work.
To express what would be done in a particular situation:
¿Hablarías inglés en España? / Would you speak English in Spain?
No. Hablaría español. / No. I would speak Spanish.
To express an action which is contrary to fact:
Si yo tuviera tiempo, iría al cine esta noche. / If I had time, I would go to the movies tonight.
