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Viewing The Two Different Ways to Say You Like Somebody in SpanishThe Two Different Ways to Say You Like Somebody in Spanish
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By Jason Vachon If you are beginning to learn Spanish, have you learned to avoid a common mistake English speakers make when translating liking someone as a friend and liking someone as a romantic interest? In English, we normally use just one word, 'like.' Context or further clarification will reveal if you like them as a person or are attracted to them in a romantic way. Here is how you can quickly and easily distinguish between the two and avoid a lot of embarrassment or misunderstandings when you are speaking Spanish with native speakers. When people learn Spanish, they are taught to use a form of the verb 'gustar', which is 'to like.' In Spanish, this is the natural way to say you like something. Examples: I like to travel. Me gusta viajar. (meh goos-tah vee-ah-hahr.) I like this movie. Me gusta esta pelicula. (meh goos-tah ehs-tah peh-lEE-coo-lah.) Note that in English when we say 'I like' we are the one creating the action of the verb. In Spanish, it is the opposite. Whatever you are saying you like is creating the action of the verb. A literal translation of the examples above would be 'traveling pleases me' or 'this movie pleases me.' This may seem awkward at first but it is the natural way to say you like something in Spanish. It is normally how you say you like something, and so it is natural to use it when referring to people. It is a common mistake English speakers make, since we use the same word whether the context is we like them as a person or we are attracted to them in a romantic way. Example: I like your mom. Me gusta tu madre. (meh goos-tah too mah-dreh.) The problem with using 'gustar' in reference to people is that it has sexual or romantic connotations. Oops! In reality, you are saying you have a romantic attraction to this person's mother. There is one situation where 'gustar' does not indicate romantic interest, and that is when talking about public personalities like a famous singer or politician. If you want to say you like someone simply as a person or as a friend, you would use a form of the word 'caer' instead of 'gustar.' 'Caer' does not indicate any romantic or sexual interest. I like your mom. Me cae bien tu madre. (meh kah-eh bee-ehn too mah-dreh.) The literal translation of 'caer' is 'to fall' but when referring to people, it refers to what you think of them as a person. Notice in the example above 'caer' is followed by 'bien.' That is because you need to clarify what you think of her. 'Caer' alone is not enough to clarify what you think of this person. You need to use an adjective to clear this up and get across your opinion of her. 'Bien' means 'good' in this case. If you do not like this person's mom you would replace 'bien' with 'mal', which means 'bad.' I do not like your mom. Me cae mal tu madre. (meh kah-eh mahl too mah-dreh.) Keep in mind that 'caer' is expressing an opinion only when referring to people. It is not used in this manner for things or activities. Only 'gustar' is used in those cases. If you are learning Spanish, this will help eliminate miscommunication with Spanish speakers by translating to the correct verb. Now you can confidently express if you are attracted to someone in a romantic way, or simply want to get the point across that you like someone as a person. About the Author: Jason Vachon has lived in Latin America, and is the author of Hook Up Spanish, a phrase guide to dating in Spanish. Get a free copy by clicking http://www.hookupspanish.com/ebook. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com |
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