How to Use the Verb Gustar in the Past and Future Tenses in Spanish

Me gustó la clase de yoga.

As we’ve been exploring the verb to like (gustar) in Spanish, you probably already understand that gustar doesn’t behave like most verbs. Instead of saying I like books, Spanish speakers say something more like:

 “Books are pleasing to me” → Me gustan los libros.

So what happens when you want to talk about things you liked in the past or will like in the future?

Let’s break it down - step by step.

Recordemos - Quick Reminder:

The verb gustar is usually used in third person and is preceded by indirect object pronouns:

English	Pronoun	Example (Present)
to me	me	Me gusta el café.
to you	te	Te gusta el libro.
to him/ her	le	Le gusta bailar
to us	nos	Nos gusta la música.
to you all	os	Os gusta viajar.
to them	les	Les gusta el chocolate.

Using Gustar in the Past Tense

There are two past tenses you might use with gustar: the preterite and the imperfect.

1. Preterite of Gustar

Use this when you’re talking about something you liked once or at a specific point in time.

Singular (liked one thing)	Plural (liked multiple things)
Me gustó	Me gustaron

Por ejemplo:

●     Me gustó la película. (I liked the movie.)

●     Te gustaron los zapatos. (You liked the shoes.)

●     ¿Te gustó el concierto? (Did you like the concert?)

2. Imperfect of Gustar

Use this when referring to something you used to like or liked repeatedly over time (only in the past).

Singular	Plural
Me gustaba	Me gustaban

Por ejemplo:

●     Me gustaba jugar con muñecas. (I used to like playing with dolls.)

●     Nos gustaban los domingos tranquilos. (We used to like quiet Sundays.)

Using Gustar in the Future Tense

Luckily, gustar in the future tense follows a regular pattern!

Singular (will like one thing)	Plural (will like multiple things)
Me gustará	Me gustarán

Por ejemplo:

●     Me gustará ese libro, seguro. (I will like that book, for sure.)

●     ¿Crees que te gustarán mis amigos? (Do you think you’ll like my friends?)

●     Nos gustarán las vacaciones en la playa. (We will like the beach vacation.)

Dejame darte un consejo (Let me give you a tip) : It’s All About Agreement

When using gustar in any tense, remember:

●     The verb agrees with the thing being liked, not the person.

●     The pronoun (me, te, le...) shows who likes it.

So (entonces):

Me gustó el coche. (I liked the car.)Me gustaron los coches. (I liked the cars.)

          Nos gustó la comida. (We liked the food.)

          Nos gustaron los vídeos. (We liked the videos)

Summary Chart

Tense	Singular	Plural
Present	Me gusta	Me gustan
Preterite	Me gustó	Me gustaron
Imperfect	Me gustaba	Me gustaban
Future	Me gustará	Me gustarán

¿Practicamos? (Shall we practice?)

Try translating these:

1. I used to like disney movies.

   
   

2. You will like this restaurant.

   
   

3. They liked the concert last night.

   
   

4. We like your idea.

   
   
   
   

¿Necesitas ayuda? (Need help?)  Leave your answers in the comments.