Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Me gusta el pastel porque es muy dulce. - I like the cake because it is very sweet.

In Spanish, the verb gustar literally means "to be pleasing." Therefore, you say Me gusta (meaning "it pleases me") rather than Yo gusto (which would imply "I please"). The sentence structure in Spanish is different from English when talking about liking something.

Why is there a definite article (el) before pastel?

In Spanish, definite articles (like el, la, los, las) are often used before nouns in general statements or preferences. While in English you might just say "I like cake," in Spanish it is common to include the article as "Me gusta el pastel."

Why is porque used, and what’s the difference from por qué?

Porque means "because" and answers the question "why" (it introduces a reason). Meanwhile, por qué (with the accent and separated) literally means "why" and is used in questions. In the sentence, you need the connector "porque" to explain the reason for liking the cake.

Why is it es muy dulce instead of está muy dulce?

Ser (es) is used for more permanent or characteristic descriptions (like muy dulce here, which is a general characteristic of the cake). Estar (está) would indicate a temporary state or condition, which isn't typically the case for describing the inherent sweetness of cake.

If I were talking about multiple cakes, would Me gusta or Me gustan be correct?

If you are referring to multiple cakes, you would use Me gustan (plural). For instance, "Me gustan los pasteles" means "I like cakes." When you talk about just one cake, you use the singular form Me gusta.