Verbs like gustar.

Question

Les gusta el libro. Les gustan los libros. Les gustó el libro. Les gustaron los libros. Is this the proper way to distinguish between the present and past tense when using gustar?

Also i had another question about similar verbs. (Ill use vestir as an example). So i need to use vestir to say, "they dressed up for dinner". I came up with "Ellos les vistieron elegante cenar". Is this the correct way to say it? Any insight on this would be much appreciated.

Welcome to SpanishDict, Garrett. Proper capitalization and punctuation is a must on this site. Please read the Rules and Guidelines before posting. - rac1, Jun 1, 2017

Thanks. - Garrett6611, Jun 1, 2017

Answer 1

We don't have an exact translation for to dress up. Maybe vestirse bien or vestirse elegante or elegantemente or even arreglarse bien etc.

Ellos se vistieron bien/elegante/elegantemente para la cena. (or para cenar) Ellos se arreglaron bien .... para la cena or para cenar.

Examples: Me arreglé para salir a bailar. (it could include dress, make up etc)
Me vestí lo mejor posible para salir. ( only clothes)

There is an expression that could mean that but I don't know if they use it in all Spanish-speaking countries . It's "ponerse de punta en blanco". It could be something like to dress up but it's much less used and I don't advise you to use it.
Please feel free to correct my English.

También, "vestirse de etiqueta." - Daniela2041, Jun 1, 2017

Dress up can be said in 3 ways: (in smart clothes) ponerse elegante; (formally) vestirse de etiqueta; (in fancy dress) disfrazarse. - NKM1974, Jun 2, 2017

In my country "vestirse de etiqueta" is used but only when it's a tuxedo or an evening dress. This doesn't mean it could be said elsewhere as "dressed up" - polenta1, Jun 2, 2017

As for disfrazarse it's what we do in Carnival, to wear a costume and look like Superman, Batman etc. Check it before using it. - polenta1, Jun 2, 2017

Answer 2

Hello Garrett,

Welcome to our Spanishdict community forum

You asked:

Les gusta el libro. Les gustan los libros. Les gustó el libro. Les gustaron los libros. Is this the proper way to distinguish between the present and past tense when using gustar?

Your sentences are all correct in the above examples and clearly show the difference between the present indicative and the simple past (preterite) but please remember that the imperfect indicative can also be used to talk about activities you were doing or used to do (That is to say, activities that have not yet been completed!)

ex' s:

1.presente indicativo: Me gusta leer libros = I like reading books

2.imperfecto de indicativo: Me gustaba leer libros = I used to like reading books.

3.Presente de indicativo: Les gusta montar a los caballos = They like to ride horses.

4.imperfecto de indicativo: Les gustaba montar a los caballos = They used to like riding horses

Also i had another question about similar verbs. (I'll use vestir as an example). So i need to use vestir to say, "they dressed up for dinner". I came up with "Ellos les vistieron elegante cenar". Is this the correct way to say it? Any insight on this would be much appreciated.

To dress up (ie: to dress smartly) in Spanish is: poner elegante/ ponerse elegante

They dressed up for dinner = (Ellos) Se pusieron elegante para cenar (o para la cena)

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español si es necesario, por favor

Encontré un error. When a verb or verbs are the subject of "gustar" "gustar" should be in the singular. Me gusta/me gustó/me gustaba leer etc. - Daniela2041, Jun 1, 2017

Muchas gracias por tu corrección, Dani :) - FELIZ77, Jun 2, 2017

Answer 3

Adding to Feliz and Polenta:

You may be confusing yourself by thinking of "gustar" and "vestir" as similar types of verbs.

The "les" in "Les gusta el libro" is an indirect object pronoun - literally "The book is pleasing to them."

The "se" in "Ellos se vistieron para la cena" is a reflexive pronoun - literally "They dress themselves for dinner."