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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to express preferences using verbs like "encantar" (to love), "preferir" (to prefer), and phrases such as "a mí me gusta" (I like) and "a mí también" (me too), including their correct usage with pronouns and negations for daily conversations.
  1. With these verbs the pronouns "me, te, le, nos, os, les" are used.
  2. We use "también" for affirmations and "tampoco" for negations.
Verbo (Verb)Ejemplos (Examples)
Encantar (Love)

Me encanta la música. (I love music.)

No me encantan estas canciones. (I don't love these songs.)

Preferir (Prefer)

Prefiero bailar que cantar. (I prefer to dance than to sing.)

Ellos prefieren ir al teatro, no al cine. (They prefer going to the theatre, not to the cinema.)

Gustos iguales (Similar tastes)

A mí me gusta. - A mí también. (I like it. - I also.)

A mí no me gusta. - A mí tampoco. (I don’t like it. - Neither do I.)

Gustos diferentes (Different tastes)

A mí me gusta - A mí no. (I like it - I don't.)

A mí no me gusta. - A mí sí. (I don't like it. - I do.)

Exceptions!

  1. Remember that the word "tampoco" includes a negation and you cannot use it with "no".
  2. The verb preferir is irregular. In the stem, the "e" changes to "ie" in all forms except for nosotros and vosotros.

Exercise 1: Describir preferencias: "Preferir, Encantar, Gustar"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

tampoco, amáis, odian, también, Prefiero, no, preferimos

1.
¿No te gustan estos bailes? A mí ....
(Don't you like these dances? Neither do I.)
2.
Nosotros ... ir al cine que ver una exposición.
(We prefer going to the cinema rather than seeing an exhibition.)
3.
¿A Catarina le gusta el arte? A mí .... No me parece interesante.
(Does Catarina like art? I don’t. I don’t find it interesting.)
4.
No te interesan museos, ¿verdad? A mí ... me interesan.
(You're not interested in museums, are you? I'm not interested in them either.)
5.
Ana y Jaime ... ir a los conciertos.
(Ana and Jaime hate going to concerts.)
6.
Vosotros ... ver las exposiciones, ¿no?
(You all love to see the exhibitions, don’t you?)
7.
... ir al concierto que escuchar música en casa.
(I prefer to go to the concert rather than listen to music at home.)
8.
¿A Amalia y a Eva les interesan bailes? ¡A mí ...!
(Are Amalia and Eva interested in dances? Me too!)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Yo ___ salir al cine el viernes por la noche.

(I ___ to go out to the movies on Friday night.)

2. A María le ___ bailar en las fiestas.

(Maria ___ loves to dance at parties.)

3. Nos ___ ir al concierto de música española.

(We ___ like to go to the Spanish music concert.)

4. A ti te gusta el teatro y a mí ___.

(You like the theater and I ___.)

5. Ellos ___ ir al museo que al cine.

(They ___ prefer to go to the museum rather than the movies.)

6. A mí no me gusta cantar, pero a Carlos ___.

(I don't like to sing, but Carlos ___.)

Describing Preferences in Spanish: Using "Preferir," "Encantar," and "Gustar"

This lesson is designed for beginners (A1 level) and helps you express likes, dislikes, and preferences in Spanish. It introduces three key verbs: encantar, preferir, and gustar, which are essential for talking about what you enjoy or prefer.

Overview of Key Verbs

  • Encantar – to love or really like something.
    Examples: Me encanta la música. (I love music.) No me encantan estas canciones. (I don't love these songs.)
  • Preferir – to prefer one thing over another; it is an irregular verb where the stem vowel changes from "e" to "ie" except in the 1st and 2nd person plural forms.
    Examples: Prefiero bailar que cantar. (I prefer dancing to singing.) Ellos prefieren ir al teatro, no al cine. (They prefer going to the theater, not the cinema.)
  • Gustar – to like something.
    Important note: Use pronouns like me, te, le, nos, os, les with these verbs to indicate who likes or prefers something.

Talking About Shared and Different Tastes

You can agree or disagree with others by using certain phrases:

  • Gustos iguales (Same tastes): Use también to affirm agreement and tampoco to agree with a negation.
    Example: A mí me gusta. – A mí también. (I like it. – Me too.)
    A mí no me gusta. – A mí tampoco. (I don’t like it. – Me neither.)
  • Gustos diferentes (Different tastes): Use contrasts like a mí no or a mí sí to show disagreement.
    Example: A mí me gusta. – A mí no. (I like it. – I don’t.)
    A mí no me gusta. – A mí sí. (I don’t like it. – I do.)

Important Grammar Tips

  • These verbs typically use indirect object pronouns: me, te, le, nos, os, les.
  • También is used to add agreement in positive sentences.
  • Tampoco is used for agreement in negative sentences and always implies negation itself, so don’t combine it with “no.”
  • Preferir undergoes a stem change (e to ie) except in nosotros and vosotros forms.

Differences and Useful Tips Compared to English

Unlike English where we often use "like," "love," or "prefer" simply with subjects and objects, in Spanish the verbs gustar, encantar, preferir require indirect object pronouns to clarify who likes the thing. Also, expressions of agreement or disagreement with preferences use specific words like también, tampoco, a mí no, and a mí sí, which don't directly translate word-for-word but are very common and useful in daily conversations.

Useful phrases:
Me gusta el café. – I like coffee.
¿Te encanta la música? – Do you love music?
Yo prefiero estudiar por la mañana. – I prefer to study in the morning.
A mí también. – Me too.
A mí tampoco. – Me neither.
A mí no. – Not me.
A mí sí. – I do.

This lesson provides a strong foundation to talk about likes and preferences naturally in Spanish, preparing you to share your tastes and understand others more effectively.

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