Category: Gustar

El amor

7/11/2013

Love is something we express in every language, and Spanish is a particularly romantic language (after all, it's a Romance language, i.e. it's derived from Latin). There are so many words to express love, but you need to know which ones are appropriate when. It's important to avoid misunderstandings! There are several ways to express love in Spanish, just as there are in English.

"Te quiero": This can be literally translated to "I want you," but it does not have the sexual meaning that this phrase would have in English. A more accurate translation would be "I love you," and it's the most commonly used phrase to express this emotion. You can apply it to a lover, a family member, or a close friend. When you use the word "querer" in reference to an object, then the meaning changes from love to want. "I want a glass of water"/"Quiero un vaso con agua."
"Te amo": This also means "I love you," but it's used more with a lover or a spouse. "Te amo" generally refers to romantic love, and it's used less frequently than "te quiero." In many Spanish-speaking societies, this term is considered more literary or even overly dramatic, and many people would generally avoid it and stick with "te quiero," or "te quiero mucho," although some still use it.
"Me gusta"/"Me gustas": This means "I like her/him" or "I like you," but it has a romantic or sexual connotation, so you would generally want to avoid it unless that's what you mean. It's what a teenage boy might say about a girl he has his eye on.
"Me cae bien"/"Me caes bien": "I like him/her," or "I like you," but in a non-romantic way. For instance, your friend introduces you to another friend, and you say, "I like her--she seems nice"/"Me cae bien--parece simpática." You can express the opposite emotion with "Me cae mal"/ "I don't like him/her."
"Me encanta": This doesn't actually express love. It expresses a strong liking for something non-human, for instance chocolate. In English we say "I love chocolate," but we don't really mean that we have romantic feelings for it, or that we love it as we do our mother. In Spanish, we would never use the same word to express love for our mom as we would for our love of a candy bar.
"Me fascina": This is another expression of strong liking, or of fascination or great interest. It's not generally an expression of love, and it's rarely used to refer to people. However, when used about a person, it's an expression of passion, so be careful how you use it!
"Desear": This means to want, and it's used in different ways. Many times a host will use the verb "desear" instead of "querer" because it's seen as more polite: "¿Desea una bebida?"/"Would you like a drink?" However, when it's used to refer to people, it's unambiguous--it refers to sexual desire. "Te deseo" means exactly the same as "I want you" in English.

There are several other expression of love in Spanish, some more literary, some obscure or more vulgar, some are more slang or colloquial. However, the above are the most commonly used phrases, and they are generally used throughout the Spanish-speaking world in the way I've described above.
It's a good idea to review the verb "gustar" and its uses, as well as verbs that are conjugated similarly to "gustar," since many English speakers have trouble with this. Take a look at this previous blog entry to help you review: http://ferrumspanish.weebly.com/1/category/gustar/1.html.

0 Comentarios

¿Qué te gusta?

5/6/2011

0 Comentarios

Many students have trouble with the verb "gustar" and similar verbs. Practice writing about the things you like or dislike, and then read aloud what you've written. If you have a friend who speaks Spanish, talk to that friend about the things you like or dislike. Pay close attention to agreement! Remember that verbs agree with subjects. "Gustar" means "to be pleasing." Therefore, if you want to say "I like funny movies," your verb has to agree with "funny movies" because what you really want to say is "Funny movies are pleasing to me" ("Me gustan las películas cómicas"). The verb is plural because "movies" is plural.
Some other verbs that fit this category are: encantar, interesar, fascinar, interesar, aburrir, molestar, importar, hacer falta, divertir, preocupar, emocionar.
For more explanation and some activities to help you practice, go to: http://www.drlemon.com/Grammar/Gustar.html
For even more practice activities, go to:
http://wps.prenhall.com/wl_heining_anda_1/87/22455/5748532.cw/index.html
http://wps.prenhall.com/wl_heining_anda_1/87/22457/5749189.cw/index.html
http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/gustar1.php
http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/gustar2.php
As you do these activities, say the answers out loud. Do a few now, a few later, and spread them out throughout the summer. If you spend ten or fifteen minutes at least four or five times a week throughout the summer, Spanish will be fresh in your mind when you come back in the fall!
Here is my paragraph:
Me encanta caminar por el bosque con mis hijos. Virginia es un estado bello y es perfecto para estas caminatas. Nos gusta mucho ir por el bosque por la mañana, porque hay muchos animales bonitos. Mi parte favorita es cuando camino cerca del agua, porque es bonita y tranquila. Si no hace mucho calor, no me importa mojarme los pies, pero cuando hace frío me molesta mucho estar mojada. A mis hijos les fascina trepar rocas, y aquí en Virginia hay muchas rocas preciosas para trepar. Nos interesa aprender sobre los diferentes tipos de plantas y animales, y a mi hijo menor le divierten mucho las lagartijas, aunque le preocupan las serpientes. Esta mañana caminé con mi perro y vimos un halcón grande. Me emocionan esos pájaros, con la libertad y gracia que tienen, son los maestros de los cielos.

En inglés:
I love walking in the woods with my kids. Virginia is a beautiful state and is perfect for these walks. We very much like to go through the woods in the mornings, because there are many beautiful animals. My favorite part is when we walk close to the water, because it is beautiful and calming. If it's not too hot I don't mind getting my feet wet, but when it's cold it bothers me to be wet. My kids are fascinated by boulder climbing, and here in Virginia there are many beautiful rocks to climb. We're interested to learn about the different types of plants and animals, and my youngest son is amused by lizards, although snakes worry him. This morning I walked with my dog and we saw a big hawk. Those birds excite me with their liberty and grace, they are the masters of the skies.

If you want to share your likes and dislikes, add a comment to this page!

0 Comentarios

¡A practicar!

El amor

¿Qué te gusta?

Archivos

Categorías