The verbs INTERESAR, ENCANTAR and GUSTAR

There is a special class of verbs in Spanish language, where the conjugation is different than what we are used to otherwise in Spanish. Three examples of such words are interesar, gustar and encantar. Meaning of all three verbs is related to the liking of something; interesar means "to be interested in", gustar means "to like" and encantar means "to like very much/to love".

These three verbs follow exactly the same grammar structure. For example, let us say "The grammar course is interesting for me" in Spanish:

• (a mí) me interesa el curso de gramática

In this structure, (a mí) part is optional.

The negative sentence is formed as 

• no me interesa el curso de gramática (the grammar course does not interest me)

But if you would like to say more than one thing is interesting for you you say "interesan":

• me interesan el curso de gramática y el curso de literatura (The grammar and literature courses are interesting for me)

So, when used for plural things, interesar becomes interesan.  

This was the form for the first person singular. The correct forms for all subject pronouns are given as

a mí	me	interesa(n)
a ti	te	interesa(n)
a él/ella/usted	le	interesa(n)
a nosotros/nosotras	nos	interesa(n)
a vosotros/vosotras	os	interesa(n)
a ellos/ellas/ustedes	les	interesa(n)

The structure for the question sentences:

• ¿ Te interesa esta actividad ? (Is this activity interesting for you?)
• ¿ Te interesan estas actividades ? (Are these activities interesting for you?)

Encantar and Gustar are used exactly the same way. For example, you can say "I like cats" like

• me gustan los gatos

To inrease the degree of liking

• me gustan mucho los gatos (I like cats a lot)

and also

• me gustan demasiado los gatos (I like cats very much)
• me gustan bastante los gatos (I quite like cats)

The negative sentences are constructed as

• no me gustan demasiado los gatos (I don't like cats very much)
• no me gustan mucho los gatos (I don't like cats much)
• no me gustan nada los gatos (I don't like cats at all)

The adverbs demasiado (very much), mucho (much) and nada (not at all) are very useful for expressing liking degrees. That's why they are used together with "interesar" as well:

• me interesa demasiado ...
• me interesa mucho ...
• me interesa bastante ....

and in the negative form

• no me interesa demasiado
• no me interesa mucho
• no me interesa nada 

The verb "encantar" is not used with these adverbs. Because it means already that you like something very much. So, it is unlogical to use one them with encantar. You simply say

• me encantar mi trabajo (I like my job very much)

While talking on the likings, the following phrases are very useful. Imagine someone says he likes singing much and in turn he asks if you also like. How would you answer shortly in Spanish, if you like singing much too?

• Me gusta mucho cantar (I like singing much). ¿ y a ti ? (and you?)
• a mí tambien (Me too)

Now, suppose you don't like singing. What would you say?

• a mí no (Me not; I don't like singing much)

Now think that the first person says he does not like singing and asking you again if you like or not?

• No me gusta cantar (I don't like singing) ¿ y a ti ? (and you?)
• a mí tampoco (Me neither; I don't like singing either)

But, if you on the contrary like singing you would answer:

• a mí sí  (I do like singing)

So there are four possibilities for such a situation: a mí tambien, a mí si, a tampoco, a mí no.

Also note that when the person asks "and you",  he does not say "? y tú ?", but he says ¿ y a ti ?
(I said these verbs represent a special class of Spanish:) )

Look at the table given on the top of the article. Instead of the subject pronouns (yo, tú...), a mí, a ti... are used. That's is the reason why in the questions above " ¿ y a ti ? " is used. You may construct your sentences for the other subject pronouns as given in that table.

All of these verbs is an integral part of beginner Spanish vocabulary