“Me gusta”: the sentence turns round
CEFR A1 · part 2
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
“Tengo 20 años”, “hace frío”Using “tener” for age, hunger, thirst, cold, fear and being right, and “hacer” for the…“Hay” or “está”Saying that something exists with “hay”, and saying where a known thing is with “estar”.“No tengo nada”: two negatives are rightBuilding negative sentences with “nada”, “nadie”, “nunca”, “ninguno” and “tampoco”…“Quiero”, “puedo”, “duermo”: verbs that change insideThe three patterns —“e” to “ie”, “o” to “ue”, “e” to “i”— and the shape they make: every…“Veo a María”: the “a” that English cannot seePutting “a” in front of a person who is the direct object —“busco a mi hermano”— and…“Ser” or “estar”: two verbs for one “to be”Choosing between “ser” and “estar” in everyday sentences: who you are and what you are…The rule, in three lines
Me gusta el café does not say «I like coffee» word for word: it says the coffee is pleasing TO ME. So the thing is the subject and the verb agrees with IT — me gusta el café, me gustan los libros — while you appear as me, te, le, nos or les. The same shape works for encantar, doler, interesar and faltar.
The usual slip. Translating word by word: yo gusto el café, which actually says that coffee finds YOU attractive.
Why it catches you out. English makes the person the subject and the thing the object, and that is exactly the wrong way round here. There are only two forms you need — “gusta” and “gustan” — and the one you pick depends on the thing, never on you.