Verbs That Act Like Gustar
There is a whole group of verbs in Spanish that behave similarly to gustar. The simplest example is the verb disgustar (to dislike):
| Me disgusta viajar. | I dislike to travel. |
| Te disgusta el café. | You dislike coffee. |
| Nos disgustan las flores. | We dislike flowers. |
Other verbs that should be used in the same “inverted” way as gustar and disgustar are listed in the following table.
| agradar | to please |
| doler | to hurt, be in pain |
| encantar | to delight, charm |
| faltar | to be lacking |
| hacer falta | to need |
| interesar | to interest |
| parecer | to seem, appear |
| sobrar | to be left |
Now listen to Track 61 as you read the following examples.
| Nos agradan los perros, pero no los gatos. | We like dogs but not cats. |
| Te duele el brazo. | Your arm hurts. |
| Me encantan las flores. | I love flowers. |
| No le falta ni dinero ni poder. | He doesn't lack money nor power. |
| Os hacen falta vuestros padres. | You need your parents. |
| Nos interesa el fútbol americano. | We are interested in football. |
| La camisa me parece muy pequeña. | It seems to me that the shirt is too small. |
| Te sobró comida. | You had food left over. |
Practice What You've Learned
Translate the following sentences, using the appropriate form of the verbs that behave like gustar. Use your English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to- English dictionary to look up words you don't already know. Then, check your answers.
1. I was lacking courage.
______________________________
2. My head hurts.
______________________________
3. Do you (informal, singular) miss your automobile?
______________________________
4. We are interested in learning Spanish.
______________________________
5. Are you (informal, plural) pleased by romantic films?
______________________________
