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Questions & Answers about ¿Te gusta beber agua?
Why do we say te gusta instead of te gustas?
Because te gusta means it pleases you, which is how Spanish expresses you like something. Using te gustas would literally mean you like yourself, which isn’t the intended meaning here.
Why is the verb gusta in singular form when referring to an action (beber agua) or even a singular noun (agua)?
The verb gustar generally agrees with what is pleasing. In this sentence, what you like is the action beber agua (or the thing agua), which is treated as a singular entity. Hence, gusta (third-person singular) is used rather than gustan.
Could I say ¿Te gusta el agua? instead of ¿Te gusta beber agua??
Yes, you can. ¿Te gusta el agua? simply asks if you like water in general, whereas ¿Te gusta beber agua? stresses the activity of drinking water. Both are correct but convey slightly different nuances.
Is it common to use te for you in Spain, or should I use os in some situations?
Te is the informal singular you. If you’re speaking to one person you know well (or to a peer), te is appropriate. If you’re addressing multiple people in Spain, you’d use os (as in ¿Os gusta beber agua?) to refer to all of you informally.
Can I answer with a simple yes/no, or do I have to repeat the whole sentence in Spanish?
A short reply like Sí or No is perfectly fine in everyday conversation. However, you can also give a more complete answer, such as Sí, me gusta beber agua or No, no me gusta beber agua, especially if you want to provide more context or practice your Spanish.
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