We explain that what is the difference between Gusta and Gustan? with table. The difference between likes and likes is that like is used when the subject is singular, while they like is used when the subject is plural or more than one.
Like and like are two different Spanish verbs. Spanish is an interesting language and also very important. But the use of some similar words can be confusing for those whose mother tongue is not Spanish.
An excellent example of this is the verb forms of liking that are like and like. Their spelling is very similar and the only difference is the letter ‘n’ at the end of one of them.
Like is the main verb in the Spanish language whose meaning is “like” in English, while in Spanish the verb has a more positive vibe. In Spanish, when you use the verb gustar, it would mean that the subject you are referring to “pleases you”.
Also, like will always be used if the main subject is singular regardless of the indirect object that can be singular or plural. The same applies to likes. Gustan will always be used if the main subject is plural, regardless of the indirect object.
Comparison table between Gusta and Gustan (in tabular form)
Comparison parameters Gusta Gustan
| Definition | Gusta is a Spanish verb that means “to like”. It is used when the subject is singular. | Gustan is a Spanish verb that also means “to like”. It is used when the subject is plural. |
| Theme | The subject has to be one or only for the use of this verb in the sentence. | The subject must be plural or more than one for the use of this verb in the sentence. |
| Indirect object dependence | If the main subject is singular, like will be used even if the indirect object is plural. | If the main subject is plural, likes will be used even if the indirect subject is singular. |
| Pronoun dependency | The verb does not depend on whether the pronoun refers to a single person or more. | The verb also does not depend on whether the pronoun used in the sentence refers to one person or more. |
| Main verb | The main verb of gusta is gustar. | The main verb of gusta is also gustar. |
What is Gusta?
Gusta is a verb in Spanish that means “to like”. It is one of the forms of the main verb “Like”. Gusta is used when the subject is singular or the subject is just an object.
Some examples of the use of the verb like in a sentence are:
- I like this flower (I like this flower)
- I like this book (I like this book)
Like is used independently of the indirect object. This means that if the main subject is singular and the indirect object is plural, gusta will continue to be used. In Spanish, the person who says the statement will always be considered an indirect object.
Some examples of this are:
- We (indirect object) like that book (main theme) (We like that book)
- I (indirect object) like that fish (main subject) (I like that fish)
In the first example above, even though the indirect object (us) is plural, it is still used gusta as the main subject is singular (just a book). In the second example, both the indirect object and the main subject are singular and that is how gusta is used.
The verb also does not depend on the pronouns used in the sentence. For example, like will be used for me, you, us (me, you, us), if the subject is a single object.
What is Gustan?
Gustan is a verb in Spanish that means “to like.” It is also one of the forms of the main verb ‘Like’. Gustan is used when the subject is plural or is more than one object.
Some examples of the use of the verb like in a sentence are:
- I like these flowers (I like these flowers)
- I like these books (I like these books)
Juat as the verb gusta, gusta is also used independently of the indirect object. To be clear, if the main subject is plural and the indirect object is a single object, likes will always be used. The person who says the statement or the person referred to in the statement will also always be considered an indirect object.
Some of the examples are:
- I (indirect object) like those pens (main subject) (I like those pens)
- They (indirect object) like these buildings (main theme) (They like these buildings)
In the first example mentioned above, the indirect object is a single person (I) while the main subject is in the plural (pens) and therefore likes is used. In the second example, the main subject is plural (buildings) and the indirect object is also plural (they) and is used as they like.
Gustan is also independent of the pronouns used in sentences. For example, like this in like, they will be used for me, te, nos (I, you, we), if the subject is plural or is more than one object.
Main differences between Gusta and Gustan
- Gusta and Gustan are both Spanish verbs. The main verb form is Like.
- Like is used when the object is singular and Like is used when the object is plural.
- Both gusta and Gustan are independent of the indirect object.
- Both are independent of the pronouns used in the sentence.
- Although they mean “like” but in Spanish it is translated as “like” which gives a positive effect to the phrase.
Final Thought
Gusta and Gustan are Spanish verbs and the main verb is gustar. Like is used when the subject is singular, while gusta is used when the subject is plural or more than one.
They do not depend on the indirect subject of the sentence or the pronouns used. You can only determine whether you use like or like in a sentence by analyzing whether the main subject is plural or singular.
