Spanish grammar - Using gustar - 'to like' and encantar - 'to love'

Using gustar - 'to like' and encantar - 'to love'

The verb gustar is used to express 'to like (somethingΔsomebody)' and always requires an indirect object pronoun to indicate who likes it.

The structure is ditransitive: [indirect object pronoun (who likes)] + gustar + [subject (what is being liked)] OR + [infinitive verb (what is liked to be done)].

-- So literally me gusta eso is 'to me' + 'likes' + 'that' or 'that likes to me' or 'that is pleasing to me'.

-- Indeed, it can be better to think of gustar as meaning 'to please'.

It is important to know that the conjugation of gustar should agree with the subject - that is the thing that is 'liked'.

-- gusta for the singular and gustan for the plural.

For emphasis and clarification a + [object] can be added. This removes ambiguity by clarifing to whom the indirect object pronoun refers.

Note that an indirect object 'pronoun' is ALWAYS required even if an indirect object is already clarified (using a).

Everything above also applies to the verb encantar - 'to love'

-- Note that encantar doesn't refer to romantic love. That is amar.

Examples:
	Me gusta el chocolate. (I) like chocolate. chocolate means 'chocolate'
	Te gustan los libros. (You, familiar) like books.
	A Juan no le gusta la música clásica. Juan does not like classical music. a Juan is added to clarify to whom the indirect object pronoun le refers
	Nos gusta viajar. (We) like to travel.
	No me gustan los gatos. (I) don't like cats.
	¿Te gusta bailar? Do (you, familiar) like to dance? bailar means 'to dance'
	A María le gustan las flores. María likes flowers. a María is added for clarity
	A la profesora le gustan los coches. The teacher (female) likes cars. a la profesora is added for clarity
	Nos gustan las montañas. (We) like the mountains. montaña means 'mountain'
	Nos gusta el teatro. (We) like thetheater. teatro means 'theater'
	A María le encantan los cómics. María loves the comic books. cómic means 'comic book'
	Me gusta leer. (I) like to read.
	¿A los niños les gustan los dulces? Do the children like sweets? A los niños is added to clarify to whom the indirect object pronoun les refers dulce means 'sweet'
	Nos gusta viajar. (We) like to travel.
	No me gusta nadar. (I) don't like to swim.
	A mis amigos les gusta el cine. My friends like the movies. cine means 'the movies'
	Nos gusta estudiar. (We) like to study.
	A los estudiantes les gustan los exámenes fáciles. The students like easy exams. fácil means 'easy'
	Me gusta escuchar música. (I) like to listen to music. música means 'music'
	Nos encanta el café español. (We) love Spanish coffee.
	¿A los niños les gustan los juegos? Do the children like games? juego means 'game'
	¿Por qué no te gusta volar en avión? Why don’t (you, familiar) like to fly by airplane? volar means 'to fly' avión means 'airplane'
	¿A quién no le gusta la crema catalana? Who doesn't like crema catalana? crema catalana (f) means 'crema catalana' - a famous Spanish dessert.