Gustar, Encantar, and Fascinar Grammar Essential #34

Definitions  Gustar = to be pleasing / to like  Fascinar = to be very pleasing / to really like  Encantar = to be extremely pleasing/ to love (not to be confused with amar)

Subject Chart  With all the verbs, you need to use this chart for your subject. If you want to say “he”, you will not use “él,” you will use “a él le.” It may seem redundant; it is used for clarification. menos te A él le A ella le A usted le A ellos les A ellas les A ustedes les

Conjugations  All 3 verbs are only conjugated into two forms… the 3 rd and 6 th boxes.  Example: Gustar conjugates only into gusta and gustan.  As you learn different tenses, this still applies. XX

Conjugations  In order to conjugate the verb, you must figure out what is being liked (gustar), what is being really liked (fascinar), or loved (encantar) Once you found the object, determine whether it is singular, plural, or an infinitive.  3 rd box is used for singular objects and infinitives  6 th box is used for plural objects

Examples  He likes the dogs.  In Spanish, you have to think backwards: The dogs are pleasing to him. First, you must go to the subject chart and find the phrase for “he.”  A él le Now, figure out what is being liked.  He likes what?... The dogs : los perros  Dogs is plural, so you will use gustan. Think backwards. The object will always determine the singular or plural verb (using these special infinitives). Put the phrases together, you get:  A él le gustan los perros.

 A él le gustan los perros. Use gustan because the object is plural. “The dogs please” is what you are translating. Use “a él” is used to make sure the reader knows who “le” is referring to in the sentence. If you didn’t have “a él” it could be “she” or “you.” The really person who like the dogs is him. You insure that the reader is not confused or mistakes the subject.

Examples  We love to sing in school. Who is our subject?... We… nos We love what?... To sing: cantar  Cantar is an infinitive, so you use the singular form of encantar: encanta  Nos encanta cantar en escuela.

Nos encanta cantar en escuela. Use encanta because the object is singular. “to sing is pleasing” is what you are translating. Because with “nos” you can only refer back to “nosotros,” you don’t always have to use “a nos” to insure that the reader is not confused or mistakes the subject.

Practice 1. They like the classes. 2. You (s. fam.) love fruit. 3. She really likes to dance.

Answers 1. A ellos les gustan las clases. 2. Te encanta la fruta. 3. A ella le fasinca bailar. Mí = me (does not agree in gender or number) Mi = my (will agree in number)