Greetings from California

[JPablo]

Okay, Esperar, Ookami already helped you.
¡Hoy he estado muy ocupado!
I have been very busy today!

[Jorjor]

Originally Posted by JPablo

¡BienvenidA, Jorjor!
Acabo de contestar en tu hilo del uso de "te" y pensaba que eras un chico, no una chica...
Me alegro de que te guste el español, los perros y los caballos... A mí también me gustan los animales... en especial los gatos (solía tener en casa hasta 20 gatos... aunque ahora sólo tengo dos... que campan a sus anchas por los jardines...)
También me gustan las tortugas, los búhos y los halcones... Si te gustan los animales, hay un programa, "El hombre y la Tierra" que puedes ver en vídeo en español... (en Internet).
(Let me know if you have any question on my Spanish above, I just went on a roll... and maybe used few words above your level... but ask anything you need clarification and learn as much as you want... or until your heart is content!) Good to have you in the forums! Have a nice journey in your path to knowledge!
[Hey, and don't hesitate on correcting my HEnglish, I am not a native, and I may make the most embarrasing blunders !]

Haha yep I'm a girl, my name's Jordan so that name can go either way. One question. You used "gustan". For some reason I thought that was the conjugation for "they" or "them" can you clarify?

[wafflestomp]

Originally Posted by Jorjor

Haha yep I'm a girl, my name's Jordan so that name can go either way. One question. You used "gustan". For some reason I thought that was the conjugation for "they" or "them" can you clarify?

The verb "Gustar" doesn't mean "to like" literally. It means "To pleasure"
It never changes, it's always "gusta" or "gustan".

Read it backwards, the verb is always used with indirect object pronouns (me,te,le,os,nos,les)

Me gusta este ordenador -- read it backwards, this computer pleasures me. Natural translation "I like this computer"

then with gustan:

Me gustan estos ordenadores -- read it backwards, these computers pleasure me
Natural translation "I like these computers"

then with the other indirect objects:

Te gustan esos coches? -- read backwards, (do) those cars pleasure you? Naturally "Do you like those cars?"

A él le gusta el zumo -- read backwards, the juice pleasures him
Naturally "He likes juice"

Then it can be used with other verbs also:
A vosotros os gusta ir a la playa - Literally: To go to the beach pleasures you all ... Naturally "You all like to go to the beach"

Hope that helps, verbs like gustar are weird to understand at first.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Jorjor

Haha yep I'm a girl, my name's Jordan so that name can go either way. One question. You used "gustan". For some reason I thought that was the conjugation for "they" or "them" can you clarify?

Hola Jorjor,
Like June Jordan, Jordan Farmar, Michael Jordan, (I guess I am more used to see it as a second name, and the name of the river and the country... but good thing to know...) (Random House Unabridged only gives it as "a male given name"... but I definitely take your word!)

Yes, the ending for "gustan" is for "they" or "them". There may be some good explanations somewhere here in Tomisimo, but to answer your question the verb "gustar" can be used as "pronominal" (with a pronoun). It is a bit redudant (but natural this way in Spanish).
The agreement of the verb goes with "the animals" here. That's why we make it "gustan" and not "gusta".

A mí me gustan los animales = [To me,] I like animals.
More or less literally: "To me, the animals are liked by me"
Or "Animals [they] are liked by me"
"Los animales: a mí me gustan." [The agreement of the verb is with "they", the animals, even if it something I feel.]
I hope you are tracking here.
I could say,
Me gusta el helado (I like ice cream)
Me gustan los granizados (I like drinks served on crushed ice)
Me gusta el lobo. (I like the wolf)
Me gustan los calamares a la romana (I like squid fried in batter [Romana style])

Let me know if that clarifies!

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Hola Jorjor,
Like June Jordan, Jordan Farmar, Michael Jordan, (I guess I am more used to see it as a second name, and the name of the river and the country... but good thing to know...) (Random House Unabridged only gives it as "a male given name"... but I definitely take your word!)

Yes, the ending for "gustan" is for "they" or "them". There may be some good explanations somewhere here in Tomisimo, but to answer your question the verb "gustar" can be used as "pronominal" (with a pronoun). It is a bit redudant (but natural this way in Spanish).
The agreement of the verb goes with "the animals" here. That's why we make it "gustan" and not "gusta".

A mí me gustan los animales = [To me,] I like animals.
More or less literally: "To me, the animals are liked by me"
Or "Animals [they] are liked by me"
"Los animales: a mí me gustan." [The agreement of the verb is with "they", the animals, even if it something I feel.]
I hope you are tracking here.
I could say,
Me gusta el helado (I like ice cream)
Me gustan los granizados (I like drinks served on crushed ice)
Me gusta el lobo. (I like the wolf)
Me gustan los calamares a la romana (I like squid fried in batter [Romana style])

Let me know if that clarifies!

I haven't any clarification for your examples, in my own view point they are correct.

[ookami]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I don't have any objection for your examples, in my own point of view they are correct.

Some corrections, I hope I've made them right.

[Jorjor]

Originally Posted by ookami

Some corrections, I hope I've made them right.

Heres my correction
I haven't any clarification for your examples, but from my point of view they are correct.

Originally Posted by JPablo

Hola Jorjor,
Like June Jordan, Jordan Farmar, Michael Jordan, (I guess I am more used to see it as a second name, and the name of the river and the country... but good thing to know...) (Random House Unabridged only gives it as "a male given name"... but I definitely take your word!)

Yes, the ending for "gustan" is for "they" or "them". There may be some good explanations somewhere here in Tomisimo, but to answer your question the verb "gustar" can be used as "pronominal" (with a pronoun). It is a bit redudant (but natural this way in Spanish).
The agreement of the verb goes with "the animals" here. That's why we make it "gustan" and not "gusta".

A mí me gustan los animales = [To me,] I like animals.
More or less literally: "To me, the animals are liked by me"
Or "Animals [they] are liked by me"
"Los animales: a mí me gustan." [The agreement of the verb is with "they", the animals, even if it something I feel.]
I hope you are tracking here.
I could say,
Me gusta el helado (I like ice cream)
Me gustan los granizados (I like drinks served on crushed ice)
Me gusta el lobo. (I like the wolf)
Me gustan los calamares a la romana (I like squid fried in batter [Romana style])

Let me know if that clarifies!

So it seems to me "gustan" is to plural and "gusta" is to singular right?

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Jorjor

So it seems to me "gustan" is to plural and "gusta" is to singular right?

That's right.
Me gusta el queso manchego. (I like Manchego cheese.)
Me gustan las películas de acción. (I like action movies.)

[wafflestomp]

But don't forget it's not just for me, it's for me,te,le,nos,os,les also. It works the same way for each but you pretty much have to have a- él/ella/ti/vosotros,ustedes/ellos/ellas

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by ookami

Some corrections, I hope I've made them right.

I don't agree with your corrections.

Clarifications also is correct.

Objection sound less nature.
I'm sorry, for if you want to explain me more about your correction and why you use that word.

[wafflestomp]

It is correct, but it sounds very unnatural and wrong to my ear as a native speaker. The point of view/ viewpoint is interchangeable, so you aren't wrong on that. I would however say that you don't have any objections, because as ookami wrote it, it means that you don't have any arguments and that you are in agreement with the statement. That means you don't have any "objections" to it. Neither of those that you wrote are blatantly incorrect, but the first one definitely can be fixed with what ookami said.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by wafflestomp

It is correct, but it sounds very unnatural and wrong to my ear as a native speaker. The point of view/ viewpoint is interchangeable, so you aren't wrong on that. I would however say that you don't have any objections, because as ookami wrote it, it means that you don't have any arguments and that you are in agreement with the statement. That means you don't have any "objections" to it. Neither of those that you wrote are blatantly incorrect, but the first one definitely can be fixed with what ookami said.

Correct.
Your explanation was very considered and very good for me.
Thank you for time spend in the explanation you have gave me above that.

I will take in mind or consideration your commentaries for my next post.

Greetings.

[wafflestomp]

Good to hear it

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes.
I think that all the corrections got here in the forums from users are more than a help for me and my language.

It's a great opportunity of work (Improve)