Gustar (with people, not objects)

Question

Hi everyone!

I'm having huge problems when it comes to the verb gustar. I find it simple enough to use gustar with objects, but I think it is very hard with two people. I'm looking for a translation (and preferably an explanation as well!) for both statements and questions (even though I know most statements can be used as questions in Spanish).

I like you (tu me gustas?)

I like him (el me gusta?)

You like me (yo te gusta?)

You like him (el te gusta?)

He likes me ("le gusto"? could you say "yo le gusto"?)

He likes you (tu le gusta / le gusta tu?)

He likes her (le gusta ella?)

I'm sorry if my attempted translations mostly confuses the whole thing since they most likely are wrong but I wanted to write them so that you can see what my problem is.

As I mentioned I would also like to know if there is a different way of asking a question, as an example "do you like me?" is that the exact same wording as "you like me" or is there a different way of asking questions with gustar?

Also, if this is the pattern for using gustar, how do you use it with the preterite tense? For "did you like me?" could I say "me gustaste"?

Thank you so much in advance!

Welcome carolinaje , I am sure a native speaker will walk by and help you out . Buena suerte . - ray76, Dec 30, 2013

You need an accent on the " él' on the second and fourth example - ray76, Dec 30, 2013

Answer 1

What you say is almost entirely correct. Just to fix all:

I like you (Tú me gustas)

I like him (Él me gusta)

You like me (Yo te gusto)

You like him (Él te gusta)

He likes me (Yo le gusto)

He likes you (Tú le gustas)

He likes her (Le gusta ella)

Do you like me? = ¿te gusto?

Did you like me? = ¿Te gustaba (yo)? ¿Te gusté (yo)?

Answer 2

I think what causes confusion is that in English "like" is something that you do to someone whereas in Spanish "gustar" is something that someone does to you, in the sense that they are pleasing to you.

So "Jane likes Bob" (English) is the same as "Bob is pleasing to Jane" (Spanish). In Spanish the pleaser is the subject of the sentence.

Answer 3

:) - migelis, Dec 30, 2013

I like these illustrations, Migelis, I don't have to write a thing, anymore! - annierats, Dec 30, 2013

Answer 4

Is it me gustas tú = I like you, or tú me gustas = I like you

Sorry guys, I'm confused. - Maria-Russell, Dec 31, 2013

Con usted , no estoy confundido ,le me gusta mi amiga . - ray76, Dec 31, 2013

Perdone me, estoy siempre muy formal con una dama. - ray76, Dec 31, 2013

Answer 5

Gustar - to please

Gustar - Part 1 (This one is better)

Check this out. - Maria-Russell, Dec 30, 2013

Answer 6

Just remember that gustar is often more like what I would call "like, like" in English. In other words, it is stronger than than a friendly feeling. For something more friendly, I would use, "Él me cae bien."