Practice makes perfect

Question

Me gustan escuchar música los lunes pero no me gustan hablan por teléfono los domingos. ¿Qué te gusta hacer?

I like to listen to music on Mondays but I don't like to talk on the phone on Sundays. What do you like to do?

Answer 1

This one is a little tricky, because you have to know what to conjugate "gustar" with. In this case it is "escuchar" and "hablar", so it counts as a singular subject. Hence, it should read: Me gusta escuchar música los lunes pero no me gusta hablar por teléfono los domingos. ¿Qué te gusta hacer?

Ok thanks for your help. Would you be able to give me an example where I would use "gustan" instead of "gusta?" - clemk93, Jun 13, 2013

I don't like them. No me gustan. - ian-hill, Jun 13, 2013

Exactly. It has been said very well below. To put it very simply, you conjugate it according to what is liked, singular "gusta" for one thing, "gustan" for multiple things. - BigMike, Jun 14, 2013

Answer 2

As BigMike said conjugating gustar can be tricky. This may help:

Think of the meaning of gustar as to be pleasing to so that when you need to use it, think whom is being pleased (the object of gustar) and what is doing the pleasing (the subject of gustar). As BigMike said in your sentences the subjects were escuchar and hablar both infinitives and singular. In many cases you have nouns as the subject.

Me gusta el helado. I like ice cream (Ice cream [singular] pleases me.)

Me gustan las fiestas I like parties (Parties [plural] please me.)

Thanks this helped a lot. - clemk93, Jun 13, 2013

Answer 3

@ Jubilado

Perhaps the direct objects would be good in those sentences too J - me gusta 'el' helado etc.

If not, what you're actually saying is 'I like it frozen'

@ Clem

The reason that 'me gusta' works this way is that rather than really meaning 'I like' it actually means 'It is pleasing to me.'

So if youre referring to something plural you have to say 'me gustan' - 'they are pleasing to me'

Gracias, amiga. - Jubilado, Jun 13, 2013

De nada :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 13, 2013

Ademas it should be "las fiestas", because the fiestas are the subject of the sentence. - BigMike, Jun 14, 2013

Exactly :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 14, 2013

Answer 4

Hey guys just wanted to say thanks for your input. I've only completed lessons 1.1-1.7 and it is so kind of you all to be so helpful towards me and I'm very appreciative.

Keep up the good work. - Jubilado, Jun 14, 2013

Answer 5

Me gusta cocinar y pasar tiempo con mi familia los domingos pero no me gusta trabajar.

I like to cook and pass time with my family on sundays but I don't like to work. - clemk93, Jun 14, 2013