If you only know me gusta /me ˈɡus.ta/ — I like it and no me gusta /no me ˈɡus.ta/ — I don’t like it, life in Spanish sounds very… binary. Either you love broccoli or you’re at war with it. No in-between “meh.”
The truth? Spanish has a whole buffet of ways to say “I kind of like this,” “I’m obsessed with this,” and “absolutely not, thanks.” You just need to move beyond gustar /ɡusˈtaɾ/ and grab a few extra verbs.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to talk about small preferences, big passions, mild dislikes, and full-on hatred in natural, nuanced Spanish.
Quick Primer: How “Gustar” Really Works
First, the slightly annoying-but-important part.
Gustar /ɡusˈtaɾ/ doesn’t literally mean “to like.” It’s more like “to be pleasing.” So instead of:
I like coffee.
Spanish is secretly saying:
Coffee is pleasing to me.
That’s why the structure is:
- Me gusta el café. /me ˈɡus.ta el kaˈfe/ — I like coffee.
- Me gustan los gatos. /me ˈɡus.tan los ˈɡa.tos/ — I like cats.
The verb agrees with what you like (one thing → gusta, more than one → gustan), and the little pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) tells you who likes it.
Mini map:
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me gusta… | me ˈɡus.ta | I like… |
| No me gusta… | no me ˈɡus.ta | I don’t like… |
| Me gustan… | me ˈɡus.tan | I like… (plural) |
| No me gustan… | no me ˈɡus.tan | I don’t like… (plural) |
You’ll see this same pattern with other verbs: encantar /eŋkanˈtaɾ/, interesar /inteɾeˈsaɾ/, molestar /molesˈtaɾ/, etc. Once you accept that grammar trick, the fun part begins.
Softer Ways To Say “I Like It”
Sometimes you don’t love something, you just… like it. Or it’s “fine.”
Here are gentle, low-drama options.
Light And Polite Likes
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me gusta un poco. | me ˈɡus.ta un ˈpo.ko | I like it a little. |
| Me gusta bastante. | me ˈɡus.ta βasˈtan.te | I like it quite a bit. |
| Me gusta, está bien. | me ˈɡus.ta esˈta ˈbjen | I like it, it’s okay. |
| No está mal. | no esˈta ˈmal | It’s not bad. |
| Está bien, me gusta. | esˈta ˈbjen me ˈɡus.ta | It’s fine, I like it. |
You can add adverbs for more nuance:
- Me gusta bastante el café. /me ˈɡus.ta βasˈtan.te el kaˈfe/ — I like coffee quite a lot.
- Me gusta un poco el vino dulce. /me ˈɡus.ta un ˈpo.ko el ˈβi.no ˈÐul.se/ — I like sweet wine a bit.
Note that no está mal /no esˈta ˈmal/ can mean anything from “actually pretty good” to “barely acceptable,” depending on tone. Your voice carries half the meaning.
Strong Likes: “I Love This” Without Always Saying “Te Amo”
When you really like something (but you’re not proposing marriage), Spanish has deliciously extra verbs.
“I Love It” For Things And Activities
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me encanta… | me eŋˈkan.ta | I love… (I really like…) |
| Me fascina… | me fasˈsi.na | I’m fascinated by… / I really love… |
| Me chifla… (Spain) | me ˈtʃif.la | I’m crazy about… |
| Me vuelve loco. (m) | me ˈβwel.βe ˈlo.ko | It drives me crazy. (in a good way) |
| Me vuelve loca. (f) | me ˈβwel.βe ˈlo.ka | It drives me crazy. (in a good way) |
Examples:
- Me encanta el chocolate. /me eŋˈkan.ta el tʃokoˈla.te/ — I love chocolate.
- Me fascina la música en vivo. /me fasˈsi.na la ˈmu.si.ka en ˈβi.βo/ — I love live music.
- Me chifla el sushi. /me ˈtʃif.la el ˈsu.ʃi/ — I’m crazy about sushi.
These verbs behave like gustar:
Me encanta el café. / Me encantan los cafés.
Me fascina esta serie. / Me fascinan las series de misterio.
Meaning: verb agrees with the thing(s) you love, not with “you.”
Interest And Preference: More Than Just “I Like”
You don’t always feel strong love. Sometimes you’re just interested, or you prefer one thing over another.
“I’m Interested In…”
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me interesa… | me inteˈɾe.sa | I’m interested in… |
| Me llaman la atención… | me ˈʝa.man la atenˈsjon | …catch my attention / I find … interesting |
| Me gusta la idea de… | me ˈɡus.ta la iˈðe.a ðe | I like the idea of… |
Examples:
- Me interesa la historia. /me inteˈɾe.sa la isˈto.ɾja/ — I’m interested in history.
- Me llaman la atención las lenguas. /me ˈʝa.man la atenˈsjon las ˈleŋ.ɡwas/ — Languages catch my attention / I find languages interesting.
“I Prefer…”
Preferir /pɾefeˈɾiɾ/ — to prefer — is a normal, non-gustar verb.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Prefiero… | pɾefeˈɾje.ɾo | I prefer… |
| Prefiero el té al café. | pɾefeˈɾje.ɾo el te al kaˈfe | I prefer tea to coffee. |
| Prefiero quedarme en casa. | pɾefeˈɾje.ɾo keˈðaɾ.me en ˈka.sa | I prefer to stay at home. |
You can combine:
- Me gusta el café, pero prefiero el té. — I like coffee, but I prefer tea.
That sounds very human and balanced: not all-or-nothing.
Softer & Stronger Ways To Say “I Don’t Like It”
Now to the dark side. You have more nuance than just no me gusta /no me ˈɡus.ta/.
Gentle Dislikes
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| No me gusta mucho. | no me ˈɡus.ta ˈmu.tʃo | I don’t like it much. |
| No me convence. | no me konˈβen.θe / konˈβen.se | I’m not convinced. / Not sure about it. |
| No es mi favorito. (m) | no es mi faβoˈɾi.to | It’s not my favorite. |
| No es mi cosa. | no es mi ˈko.sa | It’s not my thing. |
| No me termina de gustar. | no me teɾˈmi.na ðe ɡusˈtaɾ | I don’t completely like it. |
Examples:
- No me gusta mucho el fútbol. /no me ˈɡus.ta ˈmu.tʃo el ˈfut.βol/ — I don’t like soccer much.
- No me convence esta película. /no me konˈβen.se es.ta peˈli.ku.la/ — I’m not convinced by this movie.
These are useful when you want to be honest but polite.
Strong Dislikes And Hate
When you really can’t stand something:
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| No me gusta nada. | no me ˈɡus.ta ˈna.ða | I don’t like it at all. |
| No lo soporto. | no lo soˈpoɾ.to | I can’t stand it. |
| Lo odio. | lo ˈo.ðjo | I hate it. |
| Lo detesto. | lo deˈtes.to | I detest it. |
| Me cae mal. | me ˈka.e ˈmal | I don’t like him/her/it. (as a person or vibe) |
Examples:
- No me gusta nada el reguetón. /no me ˈɡus.ta ˈna.ða el reɣeˈton/ — I don’t like reggaeton at all.
- Odio levantarme temprano. /ˈo.ðjo leβanˈtaɾ.me temˈpɾa.no/ — I hate getting up early.
- Me cae mal ese tipo. /me ˈka.e ˈmal ˈe.se ˈti.po/ — I don’t like that guy. (he gives me bad vibes)
Talking About People: “I Like Him/Her” (As A Person)
In English, “I like him” can mean “he’s my friend” or “I have a crush.” Spanish separates the vibes more clearly.
As A Person (Non-Romantic)
Use me cae bien /me ˈka.e ˈbjen/ — I like him/her (they seem nice), and me cae mal /me ˈka.e ˈmal/ — I don’t like him/her (bad vibes).
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me cae bien Ana. | me ˈka.e ˈbjen ˈa.na | I like Ana. (she seems nice) |
| Me cae muy bien tu hermano. | me ˈka.e ˈmuj ˈbjen tu eɾˈma.no | I really like your brother. |
| Me cae mal mi jefe. | me ˈka.e ˈmal mi ˈxe.fe | I don’t like my boss. |
Romantic Interest
For romantic “I like him/her,” you switch to me gusta /me ˈɡus.ta/ with a person:
- Me gusta Ana. /me ˈɡus.ta ˈa.na/ — I like Ana (romantically / I’m into her).
- Me gusta un chico de mi clase. /me ˈɡus.ta un ˈtʃi.ko ðe mi ˈkla.se/ — I like a guy from my class.
So:
- Me cae bien Ana. — She seems nice.
- Me gusta Ana. — I’m attracted to her.
Usage Notes And Common Mistakes
A few classic learner moves to avoid:
1. Forgetting “no” goes before the pronoun
Correct:
- No me gusta el café. /no me ˈɡus.ta el kaˈfe/ — I don’t like coffee.
Not:
- Me no gusta el café. (English brain sneaking in)
2. Mixing up subject and person with gustar-type verbs
Remember:
- Me gusta el libro. — I like the book. (The book is pleasing to me.)
- Me gustan los libros. — I like books.
If you say me gusta los libros, it sounds off to native ears.
3. Overusing “odio”
Odio /ˈo.ðjo/ — I hate — is strong. It’s fine for food, homework, getting up early. But if you say odio a mi mamá, that’s really intense.
For people, no me cae bien or no me gusta su actitud often sound more natural and less nuclear.
4. Translating “I’m loving it” literally
Don’t copy English marketing. Estoy amándolo for “I’m loving it” is weird in everyday talk.
Use:
- Me encanta. /me eŋˈkan.ta/ — I love it.
- Me está gustando mucho. /me esˈta ɡusˈtan.do ˈmu.tʃo/ — I’m really enjoying it.
Region Notes
Most of these expressions are widely understood everywhere, but there are a few regional flavors.
- Spain
Me chifla /me ˈtʃif.la/ and me flipa /me ˈfli.pa/ are common slang for “I love it / I’m crazy about it.” You’ll hear odio /ˈo.ðjo/ for strong dislikes, but also softer irony like odio los lunes — I hate Mondays. - Mexico
Me late /me ˈla.te/ can mean “I like it / I’m into it.”
Example: ¿Vamos al cine? — Sí, me late. — Let’s go to the movies? — Yeah, I’m into it. - Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay)
You’ll hear me encanta, me fascina, odio, detesto just like elsewhere, plus regional slang. But everything in this guide works fine.
If you stick to me gusta, me encanta, me interesa, no me gusta mucho, no me gusta nada, odio, and me cae bien/mal, you’re safe across the Spanish-speaking world.
Mini Dialogues
Each line: Spanish, IPA, then natural English.
- Talking About Food
Me gusta el picante, pero no mucho. /me ˈɡus.ta el piˈkan.te ˈpe.ɾo no ˈmu.tʃo/
I like spicy food, but not a lot.
A mí me encanta, lo como todos los días. /a ˈmi me eŋˈkan.ta lo ˈko.mo ˈto.ðos los ˈði.as/
I love it, I eat it every day.
- Choosing A Movie
Te gustan las películas de miedo? /te ˈɡus.tan las peˈli.ku.las ðe ˈmje.ðo/
Do you like horror movies?
La verdad, no me gustan nada. /la βeɾˈðað no me ˈɡus.tan ˈna.ða/
Honestly, I don’t like them at all.
- Talking About A Person
Me cae muy bien tu hermana. /me ˈka.e ˈmuj ˈbjen tu eɾˈma.na/
I really like your sister.
Sí, a todos les cae bien. /si a ˈto.ðos les ˈka.e ˈbjen/
Yeah, everybody likes her.
- Early Romantic Confession
Me gustas mucho. /me ˈɣus.tas ˈmu.tʃo/
I really like you.
A mí también me encantas. /a ˈmi tamˈbjen me eŋˈkan.tas/
I really like you too.
Quick Reference
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Me gusta… | me ˈɡus.ta | I like… |
| No me gusta… | no me ˈɡus.ta | I don’t like… |
| Me gusta un poco. | me ˈɡus.ta un ˈpo.ko | I like it a little. |
| Me gusta bastante. | me ˈɡus.ta βasˈtan.te | I like it quite a bit. |
| Me encanta… | me eŋˈkan.ta | I love… / I really like… |
| Me fascina… | me fasˈsi.na | I’m fascinated by… / I love… |
| Me interesa… | me inteˈɾe.sa | I’m interested in… |
| Prefiero… | pɾefeˈɾje.ɾo | I prefer… |
| No me gusta mucho. | no me ˈɡus.ta ˈmu.tʃo | I don’t like it much. |
| No me gusta nada. | no me ˈɡus.ta ˈna.ða | I don’t like it at all. |
| No lo soporto. | no lo soˈpoɾ.to | I can’t stand it. |
| Lo odio. | lo ˈo.ðjo | I hate it. |
| Me cae bien. | me ˈka.e ˈbjen | I like him/her. (as a person) |
| Me cae mal. | me ˈka.e ˈmal | I don’t like him/her. |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Upgrade Three “Me Gusta” Sentences (1 minute)
Write three real sentences you’d normally say with me gusta. For each one, create a stronger or softer version using me encanta, me gusta un poco, or me gusta bastante. - Build A Like–Dislike Ladder (1 minute)
Pick one topic (for example: reguetón, homework, Mondays). Write:
- Me gusta…
- Me gusta bastante…
- No me gusta mucho…
- No me gusta nada…
Say them out loud and notice how the meaning changes.
- Me gusta…
- People Practice (1 minute)
Choose two real people: one you like, one you don’t. Say aloud:
- Me cae muy bien [nombre].
- Me cae mal [nombre].
- Me cae muy bien [nombre].
- Interest Vs Preference (1 minute)
Make one sentence with me interesa and one with prefiero about your real life:
- Me interesa…
- Prefiero…
- Me interesa…
- Mini-Dialogue Shadowing (1 minute)
Pick one of the Mini Dialogues. Read each line out loud, copying rhythm and emotion. Then try to repeat it without looking. - Real-Life Mission
In your next Spanish conversation or text, replace one plain me gusta or no me gusta with something more precise: me encanta, me interesa, no me convence, or no me gusta nada. Tiny upgrade, big “I actually live in this language” energy.
From “Meh” To “I’m Obsessed” In Spanish
Once you move beyond me gusta and no me gusta, your Spanish stops sounding like a yes/no survey and starts sounding like an actual personality. With a few of these verbs in your pocket, you can flirt, complain, recommend, and rant with the right level of drama—whether you just “kind of like” something or you’d marry it if the law allowed.