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SavannahYear 8
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LanguagesLa comida y la salud22 min★★ difficulty

Gustar and verbs that work backwards

Gustar is not irregular; it is simply built differently from English. Once you see the structure, a whole family of verbs opens up.

Part of your national curriculum
  • Grammar and vocabulary: Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate

Key learning points

  • • The structure
  • • The pronouns
  • • The same family

This lesson at a glance

  • 22 minutes
  • 15 parts to scroll through
  • 4 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

manipulatevarietygrammaticalstructurespatterns

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 15 · Discover7%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 15

Watch first

Gustar and verbs that work backwards

An English teaching video on this topic from TrotaMontes MTB. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate

2

Learning cycle

Part 2 of 15

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · The structure

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 15

Learn

The structure

Me gusta el chocolate literally means 'chocolate pleases me'. The thing liked is the subject, so the verb agrees with it: me gusta el chocolate, me gustan las naranjas. Only two verb forms are needed in most sentences.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 15

Learn

The pronouns

me, te, le, nos, os, les. Te gustan las tapas — you like tapas. Les gusta el pescado — they like fish. To add emphasis or clarity: a mí me gusta, a mi hermano le gusta.

5

Quick check

Part 5 of 15

Quick check

Which is correct?

6

Quick check

Part 6 of 15

Quick check

How do you say 'my legs hurt'?

7

Reset break

Part 7 of 15

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 2 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
8

Learning cycle

Part 8 of 15

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · The same family

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 15

Learn

The same family

encantar (to love), interesar, molestar (to bother), doler (to hurt), faltar (to be lacking) all behave identically. Me duelen las piernas — my legs hurt. Me encanta cocinar — with an infinitive, always singular.

10

Quick check

Part 10 of 15

Quick check

With an infinitive, gustar is...

11

Quick check

Part 11 of 15

Quick check

What does 'a mí me gusta' add?

12

Explore the idea

Part 12 of 15

Worked example

Worked example: building four sentences

'I love vegetables' → Me encantan las verduras (plural noun, plural verb). 'My head hurts' → Me duele la cabeza (singular). 'We are interested in cooking' → Nos interesa cocinar (infinitive, so singular). 'They do not like fish' → No les gusta el pescado. The only decision each time is singular or plural.

13

Challenge round

Part 13 of 15

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

14

Mastery quiz

Part 14 of 15

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Gustar and verbs that work backwards

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. Which is correct?

  2. 2. How do you say 'my legs hurt'?

  3. 3. With an infinitive, gustar is...

  4. 4. What does 'a mí me gusta' add?

15

Lesson round-up

Part 15 of 15

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

Not sat

Games

Not played

Points this lesson

0

Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

Ask Luna

Do the work

Your written work for this lesson

This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.

Extract

Une journée à Lyon

Samedi matin, je me lève à sept heures et demie. Je prends le petit déjeuner avec ma sœur — du pain, du beurre et un chocolat chaud. Ensuite, nous prenons le bus jusqu'au centre-ville.

J'aime beaucoup Lyon parce qu'il y a un grand marché près du fleuve. Ma sœur préfère les magasins, mais moi, je préfère le marché : c'est moins cher et c'est plus intéressant. À midi, nous mangeons un sandwich au parc.

L'après-midi, il commence à pleuvoir, alors nous rentrons à la maison en tram. Le soir, je fais mes devoirs et je regarde un film avec mes parents.

Original text written for Good Learning Co.

Reading questions

  1. In English, say what the writer does in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  2. Find the phrases that give an opinion and a reason, and copy them out.
  3. Write 8–10 sentences about your own Saturday, using at least three phrases from the text.

  • Written practice

    Writing

    Write the sentences out in the language, then translate them back into English.

    8–10 sentences

  • Vocabulary page

    Working out

    Copy the new words, cover them, and test yourself. Note the ones you keep missing.

    15 words

Saved as you type.

Part 1 of 15 · Watch & discover

How this is going

  • Not looked at yet

    Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate

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