Question on use of object pronouns

Question

How would you say this in Spanish?

If you are nice, your teachers will like you.

?

Would it be this?

Si eres amable, le gustas a sus maestros.

This seems wrong to me for some reason. (Probably because it is wrong.)

Welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, May 16, 2017

Heh. Thanks. Although I did ask a question a few months ago. I guess I deleted it and it doesn't show. - ad3a537948, May 17, 2017

Answer 1

Si eres amable uses Tú

Le gustas a SUS maestros . Sus is their, his, her or your (but usted) teachers.

Either you say:

Si eres amable, le gustas a tus maestros. If you are nice, your teachers like you.

or

Si usted es amable, (usted) le gusta a sus maestros. If you are nice, your teachers like you.

---

You used the will future in the second part: your teachers WILL like you.

Then it would be:

Si eres amable, le gustarás a tus maestros. (with TÚ)
or
Si (usted) es amable, le gustará a sus maestros. ( with USTED)

Hola Polenta. I've had a few weeks off and my brain may be a bit mushy, but why "le" instead of "les" when it is "maestroS"? - jellonz, May 17, 2017

Thanks for the quick reply! And I guess this means I was basically correct, except for the "tus" part. I'd forgotten to write "gustará" instead of the normal gustar forms also. - ad3a537948, May 17, 2017

The singular "le" although not grammatically correct is used many native speakers. Ofttimes we drop our "s's" in speech which leads to dropping them when writing. :) - Daniela2041, May 17, 2017

You would be greatly surprised at all the mistakes native speakers make--especially when writing. Many of my students are native speakers, some of which score lower on tests than the Gringos. - Daniela2041, May 17, 2017

I also taught High School English. You'd also be surprised at all the errors that native English speakers make---or would you. :) - Daniela2041, May 17, 2017

Gracias Dani, and no, I wouldn't be surprised :) - jellonz, May 17, 2017

sorry maybe it's les. Daniela might be right. My Spanish grammar is awful. My answers are what I consider an educated Spanish native speaker. - polenta1, May 17, 2017

Answer 2

I am also a learner, but I would not use gustar

My guess:

Si eres amable, les caes bien a tus maestros

Caerle bien is nonromantic like, gustar usually indicates some romantic inclination.

See this answer:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/111322/me-gustas-vs.-me-caes-bien

ismarodri_uy

You are right. "I like you" - "me caes bien" mostly with people you know since a short time, and 'you like them'.

"Tú me gustas" is literally "I like you", but it's more like "you are cute" or "you are hot".

However polenta was posting at the same time and is a native speaker, so her opinion is probably more valid. :) - bosquederoble, May 16, 2017

I'm with Polenta on this one, but I'll vote for you porque eres amable y me caes bien. :) - Daniela2041, May 17, 2017

I definitely did not pay enough attention to the English, I should have said caerás. :) - bosquederoble, May 17, 2017

Yes, you have a valid point. However, I'm just going with basic vocabulary here, since I'm supposed to be doing this at a Spanish 2 level. - ad3a537948, May 17, 2017

We use gustar and it doesn't have to be romantic but caer bien is good too. - polenta1, May 17, 2017

Me gusta la Coca-Cola is non-romantic. Lol - polenta1, May 17, 2017

I only meant when applied to people. Obviously it is used for things all the time. :) - bosquederoble, May 17, 2017