In this Intermediate Spanish lesson we will look at various useful Spanish phrases and structures to express how much you like or dislike the actions of others, such as Me encanta que + subjuntivo (I love …) and Odio que + subjuntivo (I hate …).

These are the kinds of phrases in Spanish that we use all the time and you will hear them a lot if you watch Spanish television or are able to get involved in conversations with native Spanish speakers. Some of the phrases and structures here are colloquial Spanish such as Me chifla que + subjuntivo (I am crazy/mad about …) and others are more formal Spanish such as Me entusiasma que + subjuntivo (I am crazy/mad about …).

Let’s start by looking at some typical structures used when reacting to the actions of other people in Spanish:

• Me gusta que + subjuntivo: I like…
• Me encanta que + subjuntivo: I love…
• Me fascina que + subjuntivo: I am fascinated by…
• Me chifla que + subjuntivo: I am crazy/mad about … (colloquial)
• Me entusiasma que + subjuntivo: I am crazy/mad about… (more formal)
• Me disgusta que + subjuntivo: I dislike…
• Odio que + subjuntivo: I hate…
• Me resulta insoportable que + subjuntivo: I can’t bear…

Next, let’s look at the contrast between the use of El Presente de Subjuntivo and El Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo with some examples of how to react to the actions of other people in Spanish:

Presente de subj: To react to what a person does

Pret. Perfecto de subj: To react to what a person has done (when the time is unfinished)

• Me gusta que me escuches: I like that you listen to me
• Me gusta que me hayas escuchado: I like that you have listened to me

• Me encanta que me compres flores: I love that you buy me flowers
• Me encanta que me hayas comprado flores: I love that you have bought me flowers

• Me disgusta que te enfades conmigo: I dislike that you get angry with me
• Me disgusta que te hayas enfadado conmigo: I dislike that you have got angry with me

• Odio que me digas lo que tengo que hacer: I hate that you tell me what I have to do
• Odio que me hayas dicho lo que tengo que hacer: I hate that you have told me what I have to do

• Me resulta insoportable que hables tan alto: I can´t bear that you talk so loud
• Me resulta insoportable que hayas hablado tan alto: I can´t bear that you have talked so loud

Finally, let’s concentrate on how to react to what a person did using El Preterito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo with the phrases Me gustaba / Me gustó que and Odiaba / Odié que:

Pret. imperfecto de subj: To react to what a person did (time is finished)

Me gustaba / Me gustó que + Pret. Imperfecto de subjuntivo: I liked that…:

• Me gustó que fueras tan amable: I liked that you were so friendly (in one specific moment)
• Me gustaba que fueras tan amable: I liked that you were so friendly (in various moments)

Odiaba / Odié que + Pret. Imperfecto de subjuntivo: I hated that…:

• Odié que tu ex-novia te llamara por teléfono: I hated that your ex-girlfriend called you (in one specific moment)
• Odiaba que tu ex-novia te llamara por teléfono: I used to hate that your ex-girlfriend called you (at various moments)

At this level I highly recommend that you try to get as much knowledge as possible of both colloquial and formal Spanish expressions and structures.

Be careful not to concentrate too heavily on one or the other or you will risk coming unstuck.

All of the Spanish phrases we have seen here today use the Spanish Subjunctive which we have covered in some detail earlier in this course. If you are still not 100% sure of how to use El subjuntivo I highly recommend going back and reviewing those previous Spanish lessons.

¡Buena suerte con tus studios de español y hasta la proxima clase!

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