Grammar for Spanish learners (2): gustar, encantar, querer and amar
This is my second entry about grammar for Spanish learners. Thus, while I practice my English, I try to help others friends to improve their Spanish. This time, I want to talk about the differences between English and Spanish with the use of the verbs "to like" and "to love".
In Spanish we say "te quiero" as in English, ie "te quiero" (I love you). We also use "te amo" or "te adoro" in an even more romantic way. In all these cases, I'm the subject of the phrase. In Spanish, however, we use "gustar" (like) and "encantar" (love or like very much) differently. In English you say it as with the verb "to love", "I like you", but in Spanish we say backwards "(tú) me gustas (a mí)" or "me encantas", so that the subject of the phrase is you, not me.
—————
One more thing, in Spanish we use "amar" or "querer" for romantic love, for example:
• Quiero a Martha, estoy muy enamorado de ella (I love Martha, I'm so in love with her)
We also use "gustar" y "encantar", but then it's not romantic love yet. You could like a woman without you being in love with her, for example:
• Me gusta mucho Martha, Me encanta Martha (I like Martha very much).
—————
Besides this use, we use "gustar" y "encantar", but not "amar", for things in general and for people who aren't boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives, ie when there isn't romantic love, for example:
• Me encanta esa canción de Frank Sinatra (I love that song by Frank Sinatra).
• Me encanta Susan Sarandon, es una gran actriz (I love Susan Sarandon, she's a great actress).
Nevertheless, it wouldn't sound very natural to say something like:
• Amo jugar al fútbol (I love playing football).
• Amo mucho aprender español (I really love learning Spanish).
Please take into account that "encantar" (to love) means exactly the same as "gustar mucho" (to like very much). So you can never put:
• Me encanta mucho aprender español.
Well, I think that after reading this post, you shouldn't have problems with these verbs anymore.
<em>Hello, Fernando! 700 views! Come back!</em>
Grammar for Spanish learners (2): gustar, encantar, querer and amar
This is my second entry about grammar for Spanish learners. While I'm practicing my English here at italki, I like to help others improve their Spanish. This time I want to explain how Spanish differs from English when using the verbs "to like" and "to love".
In Spanish we say "te quiero" just like in English, i.e. "te quiero" (I love you). We also use "te amo" or "te adoro" which are more romantic. In all these cases, I'm the subject of the phrase. In Spanish, however, we use "gustar" (to like) and "encantar" (to love or to like a lot) differently. In English you say both verbs the same way, but in Spanish when using the verbs "gustar" and "encantar" you have to say it backwards e.g. "(tú) me gustas (a mí)" or "me encantas", so that the subject of the phrase is you, not me.
—————
One more thing, in Spanish we use "amar" or "querer" for romantic love. For example:
• Quiero a Martha, estoy muy enamorado de ella (I love Martha, I'm so in love with her)
We can also use "gustar" and "encantar", but these verbs aren't used to express romantic love. For example: You can like a woman without being in love with her.
• Me gusta mucho Martha, Me encanta Martha (I like Martha very much).
—————
On top of that we use both "gustar" and "encantar", but not "amar", for things in general and for people who aren't boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives, i.e. when there isn't romantic love. For example:
• Me encanta esa canción de Frank Sinatra (I love that song by Frank Sinatra).
• Me encanta Susan Sarandon, es una gran actriz (I love Susan Sarandon, she's a great actress).
It wouldn't sound natural if you were to say something like:
• Amo jugar al fútbol (I love playing football).
• Amo mucho aprender español (I really love learning Spanish).
Please note that "encantar" (to love) means exactly the same thing as "gustar mucho" (to like very much). So you can never say:
• Me encanta mucho aprender español.
Well, I think after reading this post you'll have a lot less problems with these two verbs. Hopefully none!
Bravo Fernando! You really are a giver.
A little piece of advice: When writing an article in English you should always try and be concise. It improves readability.
<em>So excellent Fernando. Thank you! Me encanta tu commentario! :) Very ambitious piece of work. I revised for tone and clarity.</em>
Grammar for Spanish learners (2): gustar, encantar, querer and amar
This is my second entry about grammar for Spanish learners. Thus, while I practice my English, I'll try to help others friends to improve their Spanish. This time, I want to talk about the differences between English and Spanish with the use of the verbs "to like" and "to love".
In Spanish we say "te quiero" as in English you say "I love you". We also use "te amo" or "te adoro" to say this in an even more romantic way. In all these cases, "I" is the subject of the phrase. In Spanish, however, we use "gustar" (like) and "encantar" (love or like very much) differently. In English you say it as with the verb "to like" (ie: I like you), but in Spanish we reverse this: "(tú) me gustas (a mí)" or "me encantas", so that the subject of the phrase is "you", not "I". <em>(keeping agreement with the pronouns used in English)</em>
—————
One more thing: In Spanish we use "amar" or "querer" for romantic love. For example:
• Quiero a Martha, estoy muy enamorado de ella (I love Martha, I'm so in love with her)
We also use "gustar" y "encantar", when it's not romantic love yet. You could like a woman without you being in love with her. For example:
• Me gusta mucho Martha, Me encanta Martha (I like Martha very much).
—————
Besides this use, we We also use "gustar" y "encantar" (but not "amar") for things in general and for people who aren't romantic interests. For example:
• Me encanta esa canción de Frank Sinatra (I love that song by Frank Sinatra).
• Me encanta Susan Sarandon, es una gran actriz (I love Susan Sarandon, she's a great actress).
Be careful, it wouldn't sound very natural to say something like: (I think need to put an explicit note here that you can only use "amar" with people? Is this what you are demonstrating?)
• Amo jugar al fútbol (I love playing football).
• Amo mucho aprender español (I really love learning Spanish).
Please take into account that "encantar" (to love) means exactly the same as "gustar mucho" (to like very much) so using "mucho" with this verb would be redundant. Don't say:
• Me encanta mucho aprender español.
I hope this post gives you more clarity on how to use these verbs. (Your original sentence assumes the reader was having problems. Just a subtle tone thing. Rephrasing it in a way similar to what I have done is a less presumptious.)
Grammar for Spanish learners (2): gustar, encantar, querer and amar
This is my second entry about on grammar for Spanish learners. Thus, while I practice my English, I'll also try to help others friends to improve their Spanish. This time, I want to talk about the differences between English and Spanish with the use of the verbs "to like" and "to love".
In Spanish we say "te quiero" as in English, i.e. "te quiero" (I love you). We also use "te amo" or "te adoro" in an even more romantic way/sense. In all these cases, I'm the subject of the phrase. In Spanish, however, we use "gustar" (like) and "encantar" (love or like very much) differently. In English you say it as with the verb "to love", or "I like you", but in Spanish we say backwards "(tú) me gustas (a mí)" or "me encantas", so that the subject of the phrase is you, not me.*
—————
One more thing, in Spanish we use "amar" or "querer" for romantic love, for example:
• Quiero a Martha, estoy muy enamorado de ella (I love Martha, I'm so in love with her)
We also use "gustar" y "encantar", but then/in this case it's not romantic love yet. You could like a woman without you being in love with her, for example:
• Me gusta mucho Martha, Me encanta Martha (I like Martha very much).
—————
Besides this use, we use "gustar" y and "encantar", but not "amar", for things in general and for people who aren't boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives, i.e. when there isn't romantic love, for example:
• Me encanta esa canción de Frank Sinatra (I love that song by Frank Sinatra).
• Me encanta Susan Sarandon, es una gran actriz (I love Susan Sarandon, she's a great actress).
Nevertheless, it wouldn't sound very natural to say something like:
• Amo jugar al fútbol (I love playing football).
• Amo mucho aprender español (I really love learning Spanish).
Please take into account that "encantar" (to love) means exactly the same as "gustar mucho" (to like very much). So, because it's redundant/because of redundancy, you can never put:
• Me encanta mucho aprender español.
Well, I think that after reading this post, you shouldn't have problems with these verbs anymore.
*I didn't understand this sentence.
I think you're ready to be an EL/E teacher!
