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
me
nos
 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.
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 3rd and 6th boxes.
 Example: Gustar conjugates only into
gusta and gustan.
 As you learn different tenses, this still
applies.
X X
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.
 3rd box is used for singular objects and
infinitives
 6th 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.
2.
3.
They like the classes.
You (s. fam.) love fruit.
She really likes to dance.
Answers
1.
2.
3.
•
•
A ellos les gustan las clases.
Te encanta la fruta.
A ella le fasinca bailar.
Mí = me (does not agree in gender or
number)
Mi = my (will agree in number)