Breakdown of Me gusta el jugo de fresa en la mañana.
en
in
la mañana
the morning
gustar
to like
de
of
me
me
el jugo
the juice
la fresa
the strawberry
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Questions & Answers about Me gusta el jugo de fresa en la mañana.
Why is it me gusta and not yo gusto? What does me do here?
In Spanish the verb gustar literally means “to be pleasing.” The thing you like is the grammatical subject, and the person who likes it is marked by an indirect object pronoun.
- me = “to me”
- gusta = “it pleases” (3rd-person singular to match el jugo)
So Me gusta literally means “It pleases me.” If you said Yo gusto, you would be saying “I please (someone else).”
Why is gusta singular? When would I use gustan?
Gusta is singular because its subject is singular (el jugo de fresa). If you like multiple things, the verb matches that plural subject. For example:
- Me gustan los jugos de fresa (I like strawberry juices)
- Me gustan las fresas (I like strawberries)
Why do we say el jugo de fresa? Can I drop the article and say jugo de fresa?
Spanish generally uses the definite article (el, la) before nouns when speaking about things in a general sense.
- El jugo de fresa = “(The) strawberry juice” as a concept or habit
Omitting the article (Me gusta jugo de fresa) sounds incomplete or unnatural here, because you’re talking about the entire category of strawberry juice, not one particular glass.
Why is it jugo de fresa and not jugo de la fresa or jugo con fresa?
- Jugo de fresa uses de to indicate flavor or ingredient: “juice made from strawberries.”
- You don’t say de la fresa because you’re not referring to a specific strawberry.
- Jugo con fresa would imply “juice with strawberry pieces in it,” which is less common if you mean plain strawberry-flavored juice.
Why does the sentence use en la mañana instead of por la mañana? Which one is correct?
Both can mean “in the morning,” but:
- Por la mañana is the more common way to talk about habitual actions or time slots.
- En la mañana can also be used, especially in casual speech or certain regions, but you’ll hear por la mañana more often:
“Me gusta el jugo de fresa por la mañana.”
Can I add A mí at the beginning, like A mí me gusta el jugo de fresa en la mañana? When is that needed?
Yes. Adding A mí before me gusta is a way to emphasize or contrast:
- A mí me gusta…, pero a ella no le gusta…
However, in everyday speech Me gusta… alone is perfectly fine unless you need to stress who exactly likes something.
In Latin America, is jugo de fresa always just fruit juice? What about smoothies or milkshakes?
Generally:
- Jugo = pure fruit juice (fruit + water)
- Batido or licuado = fruit blended with milk, yogurt, ice, etc.
Usage can vary by country, and some people use jugo loosely for any fruit drink, but if you want to be precise, use batido de fresa for a strawberry‐milkshake style drink.