"They did not like the flowers."

Question

In the past tense, when using gustar, what is correct when the "object" is plural such as "flowers" instead of "music."

Answer 1

The translation should be "No les gustaban las flores". The "les" refers to "they" and the gustaban is in the third person plural because flores is plural.

Why do you think it's gustaban? - jeezzle, Oct 18, 2011

I'm not absolutely sure, but I think it's because they continue to not like the flowers? - SusanaEspana, Oct 18, 2011

It could be either, depending on the context of which we are unaware. - Jeremias, Oct 18, 2011

I agree but I would say "gustaron" is more likely without context given the example of a simple reciept of some flowers from, say a delivery or something, or the flowers at a wedding, or the flowers they got for a gift. - jeezzle, Oct 18, 2011

Answer 2

A ellos no les gustaron las flores.

Gustaron - completed action. They did not like the flowers (that you gave them. - completed action)

Gustaban - a sequence occured in which they were not liking the flowers, or a habitual action occured like, they didn't like the flowers back when they went to school. This can also imply that they do now like the flowers.

this particular asnwer really answered my question. Thank you - SomosUno, Oct 18, 2011

Answer 3

You would say

No me gustaban las flores,

Or,

No me gustaron las flores.

Think of it this way:

They were not pleasing to me, the flowers; or

They didn't please me, the flowers.

Oops, I gave you the info for "I didn't like the flowers." It should have been "A ellos no les gustaron/gustaban las flores." The principal is the same. - Jeremias, Oct 18, 2011