Using the verb "gustar" correctly (Grammar Section B on the Final)

The most crucial thing you can do in order to master this grammar concept is to stop thinking in English.

 

• The Spanish construction with "gustar" is an indirect one.
   
• The English construction for "liking" something is a direct one.
   
• Trying to make one work the way the other does will lead to nothing but frustration.
   
• Instead, meet the Spanish where it is, and stay with its structure.

Every sentence with the verb "gustar" has 2 parts:

 

• The first half tells us who is receiving the action of being pleased by thing/s or action/s
   
•  This consists of these 2 elements in this order (from left to right):
   
• "A" phrase  + indirect object pronoun 
   
• We know what indirect object pronoun to use because of the "a"-phrase.

What you must remember is this:

Though the indirect object pronoun is located right next to the verb, it does not control the verb's conjugation.

• Indirect object pronouns NEVER control the conjugation of any verb.
   

The second half of any "gustar" sentence--from the verb through the end of the sentence--narrates what thing/s or action/s are doing the pleasing.

In our course, you will only be using 2 conjugated forms of the verb "gustar":

• 3rd-person singular "gusta"--when EITHER a singular noun or ANY NUMBER of verbs in infinitive come after the verb.
   
• 3rd-person plural "gustan"--when EITHER a plural noun or a series of singular nouns come after the verb.

In the Final Exam section that focuses on the verb "gustar", you will need to focus on 2 totally separate operations to discern the correct answer. 

Operation 1: determine the correct indirect object pronoun.

The only way to do this is to find the a-phrase.

It will be to the left of the blank.

• If the phrase is "a mí", the correct IOP is "me". 
• If the phrase is "a ti", the correct IOP is "te".
• If the phrase is "a nosotros" (or "a" [anyone] + "y a mí", which is equivalent to "a nosotros"), the correct IOP is "nos".
   
• If the phrase is "a él", "a ella", "a usted" or "a" + [any singular noun], the correct IOP is "le". 
• If the phrase is "a ellos", "a ellas", "a ustedes" or "a" + [any plural noun or sequence of nouns], the correct IOP is "les".

Operation 2: figure out what the correct conjugation of "gustar" should be.

The only way to do this is to look at the sentence element that governs the verb's conjugation.

This will be to the RIGHT side of the blank (after the verb).

• You must forget everything on the left-hand side of the blank when performing operation 2. It's useless now.

If what you see on the right-hand side of the blank is:

• a verb in infinitive (or a thousand verbs in infinitive, it doesn't matter), the verb must conjugate 3rd-person singular.
   
• a singular noun, the verb must conjugate 3rd-person singular.
   
• a plural noun or a series of nouns joined by the conjunction "y" (and), the verb must conjugate 3rd-person plural.

Example: 

A nosotras __________________ (gustar) acampar en la playa.

• nos gustamos
• se gustan
• les gusta
• nos gusta

Step one: Discern the indirect object pronoun.

• Look at the left-hand side of the sentence to find the "a"-phrase.
• Realize that it is "a nosotras".
• You know that "nos" has to be the correct IOP.
• This lets us rule out "se gustan" and "les gusta".
• Now you are done with the left-hand side of the sentence. Forget all about it.

Example: 

A nosotras __________________ (gustar) acampar en la playa.

• nos gustamos
• se gustan
• les gusta
• nos gusta

Step two: Discern the correct conjugation of the verb.

• Look at the right hand side of the blank.
• Ask yourself this: "Is acampar a singular noun, a plural noun or a verb in infinitive?" 
• Realize it's an infinitive. "Gustar" must conjugate 3rd-person singular because of this.  
• The only possible correct conjugated form is "gusta".