1. I like the cheese.

2. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish

3. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish There is no verb that means “to like”.

4. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish There is no verb that means “to like”. As long as you pretend that gustar means to like, you’ll be bad at backward verbs!

5. But, if you get the first step right with gustar, you can use it to become good at all backward verbs!

6. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish

7. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
You can’t translate something that doesn’t exist.

8. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
You can’t translate something that doesn’t exist.
You have to figure out how the same idea is expressed in Spanish!

9. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
To say “I like the cheese”, we first need to figure out how that would be expressed in Spanish, since liking doesn’t exist.

10. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
To say “I like the cheese”, we first need to figure out how that would be expressed in Spanish, since liking doesn’t exist.
Our sentence in Spanish will actually mean: “the cheese pleases me”.

11. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
To say “I like the cheese”, we first need to figure out how that would be expressed in Spanish, since liking doesn’t exist.
Our sentence in Spanish will actually mean: “the cheese pleases me”.
Notice that “the cheese” is the subject. “The cheese” does the action.

12. Problem: liking doesn’t exist in Spanish
To say “I like the cheese”, we first need to figure out how that would be expressed in Spanish, since liking doesn’t exist.
Our sentence in Spanish will actually mean: “the cheese pleases me”.
Notice that “the cheese” is the subject. “The cheese” does the action.
“I” don’t do any liking—it’s “the cheese” that does the “pleasing”.

13. Step One is the key…
What are we really saying in Spanish?

14. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.

15. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school. School pleases us.

16. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.

17. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice. Practicing pleases her.

18. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis.

19. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis. Indianapolis pleases you.

20. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis.
I like her (romantically).

21. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis.
I like her (romantically). She pleases me.

22. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis.
I like her (romantically).
They like me (romantically).

23. Step One is the key… What are we really saying in Spanish?
We like school.
She likes to practice.
You like Indianapolis.
I like her (romantically).
They like me (romantically). I please them.

24. Get step one wrong, and you’re doomed, before you even start thinking about Spanish!

25. So what’s step two?

26. So what’s step two?
I like the cheese. = The cheese pleases me.

27. So what’s step two? I like the cheese. = The cheese pleases me.
Once you know the subject in the Spanish sentence, you have to think about the verb ending…

28. So what’s step two? I like the cheese. = The cheese pleases me.
gustar = to please

29. So what’s step two? I like the cheese. = The cheese pleases me.
gustar = to please
cheese is singular

30. So what’s step two? I like the cheese. = The cheese pleases me.
gustar = to please
cheese is singular
gustar becomes gusta (3rd person singular)

31. After you know the subject and the verb ending…

32. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.

33. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.

34. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

35. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

36. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

37. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

38. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

39. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes to practice = Practicing pleases her
Me gusta el queso.

40. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes to practice = Practicing pleases her
Me gusta el queso.

41. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes to practice = Practicing pleases her
Le gusta practicar.

42. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes to practice = Practicing pleases her
Le gusta practicar.

43. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes to practice = Practicing pleases her
Le gusta practicar.

44. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes me = I please her
Le gusto (yo).

45. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes me = I please her
Le gusto (yo).

46. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes me = I please her
Le gusto (yo).

47. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes me = I please her
Le gusto (yo).

48. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
She likes me = I please her
Le gusto (yo).

49. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like her (as a friend) = she falls on me well
Me cae bien (ella).

50. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like her (as a friend) = she falls on me well
Me cae bien (ella).

51. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like her (as a friend) = she falls on me well
Me cae bien (ella).

52. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like her (as a friend) = she falls on me well
Me cae bien (ella).

53. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like her (as a friend) = she falls on me well
Me cae bien (ella).

54. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

55. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

56. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

57. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.

58. After you know the subject and the verb ending…
Remember, these are called “backward” verbs.
You have to think right-to-left.
I like the cheese = the cheese pleases me
Me gusta el queso.