Correct Past Tense?

Question

I my paper, I'd like to say: (In past tense)

"I liked to sit near the windows and watch the beautiful scenery. "

Would it be correct to say:

"Me gusta sentarse cerco la ventanas y miré la bonita paisaje."

Or

"Me gusté senarse...mirar" ?

Or would it be something different? I'm worried that my verbs aren't conjugated correctly.

Any and all help is welcome. Thanks!

Answer 1

My preference:

Me gustaba sentarme cerca de las ventanas y mirar el bonito paisaje. It used to please me...

Gustó would work- but imply you no longer do

Me gusté means I liked myself

It is cerca de, not cerco, and las ventanas or la ventana.

Mirar is still off gustar so is like sentarme- in infinitive

Sentarse would that someone else is seating themselves.

I believe paisaje is masculine.

Just my opinion.

Thank you! I really appreciate your help! I made the changes you suggested. :) - Unknownartist345, Feb 2, 2016

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Feb 2, 2016

Great answer, Bosque :) - FELIZ77, Feb 2, 2016

Answer 2

Hello unknown artist,

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked:

In my paper, I'd like to say: (In past tense) "I liked to sit near the windows and watch the beautiful scenery. "Would it be correct to say: "Me gusta sentarse cerco la ventanas y miré la bonita paisaje." Or Me gusté senarse...mirar" ? Or would it be something different? I'm worried that my verbs aren't conjugated correctly.

Bosque has already given you a great answer which I cannot improve on and his post deserves to be chosen as the best answer, but I thought I would offer you a slightly different translation:

"I liked to sit near the windows and watch the beautiful scenery. = Me gustaba sentarME cerca de las ventanas y mirar el hermoso (o el bello) paisaje.

Me gusta = I like (present) Me gustaba (imperfect) = I used to like/I liked. Me gustó (preterite) = I liked You wouldn't say in Engish, I was liking, as it sounds odd, but with most verbs you can: I was + infinitive of requiered verb, eg: I was talking, She was reading, they were cooking etc...

I have used the imperfect indicative tense, gustaba intentionally because the Spanish people (natives) use the imperfect to talk about an action that you were doing or used to do. If you only looked out at the scenery once and the action has already been completed you would use the preterite. (simple past)

The noun paisaje is masculine so you would need to make sure that any adjective/s you use to describe the scenery agree in gender (they are also masculine)!

eg: el (not la) hermosO paisaje, (not hermosa) o el bellO paisaje o el bonito paisaje

I hope this helps

Thanks! I really appreciate any help! Spanish can be tricky! :) - Unknownartist345, Feb 9, 2016