LanguageGuide: Spanish Grammar: Indirect Objects

Indirect Object Pronouns (continued)

Indirect pronouns are used to express likes and dislikes in Spanish.

	Me gusta nadar en el lago.	I like to swim in the lake. (Swimming in the lake pleases me.)
	Le gusta viajar por tren.	He/she likes traveling by train. (Travelling by train pleases me.)
	Nos gustan el helado.	We like ice cream.
	Tú me gustas.	I like you. (denotes physical attraction)

No me gustan los carros. Demasiada contaminacion!
I don't like cars. Too much pollution!

Note that the verb is in accordance with that which does the 'pleasing' rather than who is 'pleased'.

If you don't just like something, but really like something, there are more powerful verbs than gustar.

	Nos encanta este programma.	We really love this program. (This program enchants us.)
	Me fascina esta música.	I really like this music. (This music fascinates me.)

Caer is a verb that means ‘to fall’. However it is used to express the like and dislike of people. Using gustar in regards to people denotes physical attraction.

	Felipe me cae bien.	I like Felipe. (Felipe falls on me well. )
	Virginia le cae mal.	He/She doesn't like Viriginia.

In order to make clear who it is that is pleased, fasinated enchanted, etc., place their name at the beginning with the preposition a.

	A Cecilia le gusta nadar.	Celicia likes to swim
	Al maestro le gusta enseñar.	The teacher likes to teach.

Pain is also expressed this way...

	Me duele la cabeza.	My head hurts.
	Les duele el estómago.	Their stomach hurts.
	Le duele el brazo.	His/her arm hurts.