| Would you like to avoid embarrassment if you | | | | people is that it has sexual or romantic |
| are learning Spanish by recognizing the proper | | | | connotations. Ooops! In reality you are saying you |
| translations of liking someone as a person versus | | | | have a romantic attraction to this person's |
| being romantically interested? | | | | mother. |
| In English we normally use just one word, "like." | | | | There is one situation where "gustar" does not |
| Clarifying with more information indicates whether | | | | indicate romantic interest and that's when talking |
| you have an attraction towards them or like | | | | about public personalities like a famous singer or |
| them simply as a friend or person. | | | | politician. |
| Here's how you can quickly and easily distinguish | | | | If you want to say you like someone simply as a |
| between the two and avoid a lot of | | | | person or as a friend you would use a form of |
| embarrassment or misunderstandings when you | | | | the word "caer" instead of "gustar." "Caer" does |
| are speaking Spanish with native speakers. | | | | not indicate any romantic or sexual interest. |
| When people learn Spanish they are taught to use | | | | I like your mom. Me cae bien tu madre. (meh |
| a form of the verb "gustar" which is "to like." In | | | | kah-eh bee-ehn too mah-dreh.) |
| Spanish this is the natural way to say you like | | | | The literal translation of "caer" is "to fall" but when |
| something. | | | | referring to people it refers to what you think of |
| Examples: | | | | them as a person. |
| I like to travel. Me gusta viajar. (meh goos-tah | | | | Notice in the example above "caer" is followed by |
| vee-ah-hahr.) | | | | "bien." That is because you need to clarify what |
| I like this movie. Me gusta esta pelÃcula. (meh | | | | you think of her. "Caer" alone is not enough to |
| goos-tah ehs-tah peh-lEE-coo-lah.) | | | | clarify what you think of this person. |
| Note that in English when we say "I like" we are | | | | You need to use an adjective to clear this up and |
| the one creating the action of the verb. In | | | | get across your opinion of her. "Bien" translates to |
| Spanish it is the opposite. Whatever you are | | | | "good" in this example. If you don't like this |
| saying you like is creating the action of the verb. | | | | person's mom you would replace "bien" with "mal" |
| A literal translation of the examples above would | | | | which means "bad." |
| be "traveling pleases me" or "this movie pleases | | | | I don't like your mom. Me cae mal tu madre. (meh |
| me." This may seem awkward at first but it's the | | | | kah-eh mahl too mah-dreh.) |
| natural way to say you like something in Spanish. | | | | Keep in mind that "caer" is expressing an opinion |
| It's normally how you say you like something and | | | | only when referring to people. It's not used in this |
| so it is natural to use it when referring to people. | | | | manner for things or activities. Only "gustar" is |
| It's a common mistake English speakers make | | | | used in those cases. |
| since we use the same word whether the | | | | If you are learning Spanish this will help eliminate |
| context is we like them as a person or we are | | | | miscommunication with Spanish speakers by |
| attracted to them in a romantic way. | | | | translating to the correct verb. |
| Example: | | | | Now you can confidently express if you are |
| I like your mom. Me gusta tu madre. (meh | | | | attracted to someone in a romantic way or |
| goos-tah too mah-dreh.) | | | | simply want to get the point across that you like |
| The problem with using "gustar" in reference to | | | | someone as a person. |