Online component to accompany the open textbook Yo Puedo 2 by Silvagio-Adams & Vallejo-Alegre

1. Gustar and similar verbs

2. Definition and Context
• Gustar means to be pleasing.
• In English, we say, “I like the shirt”.
• In Spanish, we say, “The shirt is pleasing to me.”
• Translating that to Spanish would be Me gusta la camisa.The shirt is
pleasing to me. In this type of verb, the subject goes after the verb.
• Think of it as a formula: To someone, verb, the item(s) that do
the action Indirect Object +Verb + Subject

3. A las niñas, les gusta
jugar en la playa.
Playing at the beach is pleasing to the girls.

4. Indirect object pronouns and verbs like gustar
• When using Gustar you need to use Indirect Object Pronouns
to tell to whom the thing is pleasing.
• The Indirect Object Pronouns are placed before the verb
• They include:
• Me (to me) Nos (to us)
• Te (to you) Os (to you all)
• Le (to him, to her, to you) Les (to them, to you all)

5. Adding emphasis
(A mí) me
(A ti) te
(A él/ella/Ud.) (A María, A José) le
(A nosotros/A una persona y a mí) nos
(A vosotros/ A una persona y a ti ) os
(A ellos/as/Uds./ A Pedro y a Quique ) les
The part in parenthesis ( ) may be added for more emphasis or to tell exactly about
whom you are speaking. The part in parenthesis is optional while the indirect
object pronoun is required.

6. 3rd person singular and plural forms
• Gusta and Gustan are the most common ways to use the verb gustar
in the present indicative.
• If one thing pleases you: Gusta A la niña le gusta el sombrero amarillo.
• If one or more activity pleases you: Gusta A ellas, les gusta caminar en la arena
y jugar en el agua.
(This may seem like it should be plural so in a sense this is an irregularity in use. You may have one or more than one
infinitive following the 3rd person singular form of gustar.)
• If more than one thing pleases you: Gustan A mí, me gustan sus conjuntos.

7. Formula or Sentence/Question Structure
The subject—the
item(s), person or
people, action(s)
that are pleasing.
Gustar or verbs like
gustar in the 3rd
person singular or
plural depending
on the next subject
(in any verb tense)
Indirect object
pronoun that
agrees with to
whom is receiving
joy/pleasure
“A” and specific
reference to a
person

8. How to use Gustar in a question:
¿ Qué te/le gusta?-What do you like?
¿Cuál te/le gusta ?-Which do you like?

9. Other verbs that work like Gustar
Disgustar / no gustar : to dislike
Doler (o-ue) : to hurt
Molestar : to bother
Importar : to matter
Interesar : to be of interest
Fascinar : to be fascinated by
Aburrir : to bore
Faltar : to miss, lack
Hacer falta : to lack, need
Encantar : to really like or be pleasing

10. Summary
These verbs follow the same conjugations and sentence order as gustar.
Indirect object pronoun + verb + thing / or things that is /are pleasing, boring, annoying,
important etc.
Gustar, aburrir, molestar, importar etc.
IOP + 3rd person singular form of the verb + thing
or
IOP +3rd person singular form of the verb + infinitive(s)
or
IOP + 3rd person plural form of the verb + things
In your book, you will fill in the present tense indicative forms for the verbs that work like gustar.
Example Importar: Importa , Importan
Once you have completed that, fill in the correct forms for the practices below. Pay attention to the
differences in conjugations between AR, ER and IR verbs.

11. La Práctica / Practice
Place the correct indirect object and present indicative of the verbs that work like gustar in the sentence:
1. A Maria ___ ___________ ir de compras. (like/pleases)
2. A Juan y a mí ___ ____________ los trajes. (love)
3. A nosotros ___ ____________ mirar la moda. (like)
4. A mí _______ __________la ropa con agujeros (holes). (dislike)
5. A ti ______ ____________________el dinero para comprar la blusa. (lacking)
6. A Pedro y a Miguel _______ ______ los pantalones cortos. (love)
7. A las chicas, ______ _______ la lana mucho. ( bothers)
8. A vosotros _____ ___________ la moda de Oscar de la Renta. (fascinate)
9. A Ud ________ _______________ ir de compras y gastar mucho dinero en las prendas. (matters/to
be important)
10. A mí no ________ _______________ lo que llevan las celebridades. (interest)

12. Place the correct indirect object and present indicative of the verbs that work like
gustar in the sentence:
1. A Maria _le__ ___gusta________ ir de compras. (like/pleases)
2. A Juan y a mí _nos__ __encantan__________ los trajes. (love)
3. A nosotros _nos__ ___gusta_________ mirar la moda. (like)
4. A mí ___me____ __disgusta________la ropa con agujeros (holes). (dislike)
5. A ti _te_____ ___hace falta_________________del dinero para comprar la blusa.
(lacking)
6. A Pedro y a Miguel _les______ _encantan_____ los pantalones cortos. (love)
7. A las chicas, _les_ __molesta_ la lana mucho. ( bothers)
8. A vosotros _os_ _fascina__________ la moda de Oscar de la Renta. (fascinate)
9. A Ud _le_ __importa_ ir de compras y gastar mucho dinero en las prendas.
(matters/to be important)
10. A mí no __me__ _interesa_ lo que llevan las celebridades. (interest)
Las Respuestas /The Answers