DELE A2 Gustar and Similar Verbs: Practice Test & Review
Gustar does not mean “to like.” It means “to be pleasing to.” This one difference changes everything about how the verb works: the person who likes something is the indirect object, and the thing that is liked is the subject. If you can’t tell “me gusta” from “me gustan,” you’ll lose points on the first reading passage.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the main gustar-type verbs, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. If you get stuck, scroll down for the full explanation.
Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
Gustar does not mean “to like.” It means “to be pleasing to.” This changes the structure of the sentence. The person who likes something is the indirect object. The thing that is liked is the subject. The verb agrees with the thing, not the person.
Me gusta el café = Coffee is pleasing to me = I like coffee.
Me gustan las películas = Movies are pleasing to me = I like movies.
The verb agrees with what is liked (el café = singular → gusta; las películas = plural → gustan).
Indirect Object Pronouns
| Person | Pronoun | Clarifying phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | me | a mí |
| Tú | te | a ti |
| Él / Ella / Usted | le | a él / a ella / a usted |
| Nosotros | nos | a nosotros |
| Vosotros | os | a vosotros |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | les | a ellos / a ellas / a ustedes |
The clarifying phrase (a mí, a ti, etc.) is optional but common for emphasis or clarity. Le and les are ambiguous, so the clarifying phrase is often added: A él le gusta.
Singular vs. Plural
| What is liked | Verb form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular noun | gusta | Me gusta el café. |
| Plural noun | gustan | Me gustan las películas. |
| Infinitive | gusta | Me gusta viajar. |
| Multiple nouns | gustan | Me gustan el café y el té. |
When two or more things are liked, the verb is plural even if each item is singular: Me gustan el café y el té.
Verbs That Work Like Gustar
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| gustar | to be pleasing to | Me gusta el arte. |
| encantar | to love (something) | Me encanta la música. |
| interesar | to interest | Me interesa la historia. |
| importar | to matter | Me importa la familia. |
| doler | to hurt | Me duele la cabeza. |
| faltar | to be lacking | Me falta tiempo. |
| sobrar | to be left over | Me sobran diez euros. |
| quedar | to have left | Me quedan dos días. |
| parecer | to seem | Me parece bien. |
| apetecer | to feel like | Me apetece un café. |
All of these use the same structure: indirect object pronoun + verb + subject. The verb agrees with the subject (the thing).
Doler and Body Parts
Doler works like gustar. The body part is the subject.
- Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts — the head is singular.)
- Me duelen los pies. (My feet hurt — the feet are plural.)
The definite article (la, los) is used, not the possessive. “Me duele mi cabeza” is incorrect.
Common Mistakes
- Using gustar with the wrong verb form.
✗ Me gusta las películas.
✓ Me gustan las películas.
The verb agrees with the thing liked (las películas = plural). - Using the subject pronoun instead of the indirect object pronoun.
✗ Yo gusto el café.
✓ Me gusta el café.
The person who likes is the indirect object, not the subject. - Using the wrong indirect object pronoun.
✗ A ti me gusta el café.
✓ A ti te gusta el café.
The pronoun must match the clarifying phrase. - Using a possessive with body parts.
✗ Me duele mi cabeza.
✓ Me duele la cabeza.
With doler (and other body-part verbs), use the definite article.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Is the verb gustar, encantar, interesar, or importar? | Yes | Indirect object pronoun + verb |
| Is the thing liked singular? | Yes | gusta / encanta / interesa |
| Is the thing liked plural? | Yes | gustan / encantan / interesan |
| Is the thing liked an infinitive? | Yes | gusta / encanta (singular) |
| Is the person yo? | Yes | Pronoun: me |
| Is the person tú? | Yes | Pronoun: te |
| Is the person él / ella / usted? | Yes | Pronoun: le |
| Is the person nosotros? | Yes | Pronoun: nos |
| Is the person ellos / ellas / ustedes? | Yes | Pronoun: les |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Me gusta el café.
I like coffee.
- El café is singular → gusta. The subject is el café.
Me gustan las películas.
I like movies.
- Las películas is plural → gustan. The subject is las películas.
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
- La cabeza is singular → duele. The subject is la cabeza.
Me duelen los pies.
My feet hurt.
- Los pies is plural → duelen. The subject is los pies.
