Spanish through Song - Me gustas tú (A1/A2) - El Patio Spanish Language School

Music touches us. It's a universal language that needs no translation. Language and music share stuff - rhythm, melody, pitch, volume, tone, pauses, stops. Spanish through Song explores the artist, the lyrics and why you should incorporate it in your learning routine. Let's look at Manu Chau's "Me gustas tú" - perhaps THE MOST USED SONG in Spanish language classes all over the world.

Me gustas tú (Manu Chao)

Born in 1961 in France to Spanish parents, Manu Chao's music is a mix of styles such as reggae, alternative rock, ska, punk, latin alternative and salsa. Beware - it is extremely catchy! His songs are characterised by a light reggae feel, layers and repetitions of odd and cute sounds, the use of several languages (sometimes in the one song) and themes of love, immigration, displacement and political activism.

Me gustas tú means I like you, and is from Manu Chao's second album, Próxima Estación: Esperanza. It involves repeated use of the verb gustar.

The song is basically a list of what he likes, so is great for gaining and memorising new vocabulary. It's a long, diverse list of things, activities and feelings.

Manu Chao at Budapest Park, 2013 by Derzsi Elekes Andor, Creative Commons 3.0

How songs in Spanish help learning

new words - learn new vocabulary - could be useful words or uncommon ones
memorisation - totally boosted when music and language are paired together
miming - practice pronunciation in a fun context and without being heard
motivation - singing is fun and can actually become a reason to continue with language study
culture - we’re getting a look-in on another culture, especially if the video takes us there
really impress native speakers - imagine surprising the locals with Un, dos, tres, un pasito pa'lante Maria (Ricky Martin) at a summer fiesta that you happen to land in, in Puerto Rico

Me gusta la gramática

The verb gustar is translated as to like something, but is not used in the same way as the verb to like in English.

It is used exactly as we use the verb to please. So it's more like you please me (me gustas tú) / the rain pleases me (me gusta la lluvia).

Note the conjugation of the verb and the use (or not) of the definite article (the) when followed by:

a singular noun - gusta + [el/la] (me gusta la mañana)
a plural noun - gustan + [los/las] (me gustan los aviones)
a verb - gusta + [verb in the infinitive] (me gusta correr)
a proper noun (name, place ..) - gusta + [proper noun] (me gusta Malasaña. Malasaña is an area of Madrid)

Manu Chao bends the rules a little by leaving out the definite article (el/la/los/las) in some lines, eg, me gusta colombiana. It should be me gusta la colombiana.

Letra en español - lyrics in English


Qué horas son mi corazón Permanece a la escucha Doce de la noche en La Habana, Cuba Once de la noche en San Salvador, El Salvador Once de la noche en Managua, Nicaragua	What time is it, my love Stay tuned Midnight in la Habana, Cuba Eleven at night in San Salvador, El Salvador Eleven at night in Managua, Nicaragua
Me gustan los aviones, me gustas tú Me gusta viajar, me gustas tú Me gusta la mañana, me gustas tú Me gusta el viento, me gustas tú Me gusta soñar, me gustas tú Me gusta la mar, me gustas tú	I like planes, I like you I like to travel, I like you I like the mornings, I like you I like the wind, I like you I like to dream, I like you I like the sea, I like you
Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais pas Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais plus Qué voy a hacer - Je suis perdu Qué horas son, mi corazón	What am I going to do - I don't know What am I going to do - I don't know anymore What am I going to do - I am lost What time is it, my love
Me gusta la moto, me gustas tú Me gusta correr, me gustas tú Me gusta la lluvia, me gustas tú Me gusta volver, me gustas tú Me gusta marihuana, me gustas tú Me gusta colombiana, me gustas tú Me gusta la montaña, me gustas tú Me gusta la noche	I like biking, I like you I like running, I like you I like the rain, I like you I like to return, I like you I like marijuana, I like you I like Colombian girls, I like you I like mountains, I like you I like the night
Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais pas Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais plus Qué voy a hacer - Je suis perdu Qué horas son, mi corazón	What am I going to do - I don't know What am I going to do - I don't know anymore What am I going to do - I am lost What time is it, my love
Me gusta la cena, me gustas tú Me gusta la vecina, me gustas tú Me gusta su cocina, me gustas tú Me gusta camelar, me gustas tú Me gusta la guitarra, me gustas tú Me gusta el reggae, me gustas tú	I like dinner, I like you I like the neighbour, I like you I like her cooking, I like you I like flirting, I like you I like the guitar, I like you I like reggae, I like you
Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais pas Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais plus Qué voy a hacer - Je suis perdu Qué horas son, mi corazón	What am I going to do - I don't know What am I going to do - I don't know anymore What am I going to do - I am lost What time is it, my love
Me gusta la canela, me gustas tú Me gusta el fuego, me gustas tú Me gusta menear, me gustas tú Me gusta la Coruña, me gustas tú Me gusta Malasaña, me gustas tú Me gusta la castaña, me gustas tú Me gusta Guatemala, me gustas tú	I like cinnamon, I like you I like fire, I like you I like to dance, I like you I like la Coruña, I like you I like Malasaña, I like you I like a fight, I like you I like Guatemala, I like you
Qué voy a hacer - Je ne sais pas Repita ... Qué horas son, mi corazón Repita ...	What am I going to do - I don't know Repeat ... What time is it, my love. Repeat ...
Cuatro de la mañana	Four in the morning

Two versions - with English and Spanish lyrics

Gustar - where can I get it?

At El Patio we study the verb gustar in Elementary 3 (which includes Rápido Elementary 3 and Express 3&4).

It is also covered briefly in Spanish for Travel, the Verb Workshop and some of the Summer Intensives courses.

¡Me gustan los verbos, me gustas tú!

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Toni Edwards

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