Spanish Word of the Day: Gusto (taste / pleasure)

If you have mastered the cinco sentidos (five senses) in Spanish, you will already be aware that the word for taste is gusto. A helpful way to remember this word is to think of the more formal synonym of taste, which is gustation.

The other four senses are vista (sight), oído (hearing), tacto (touch), and olfato (smell).

The etymology of gusto couldn’t be more straightforward – it comes from the Latin gustus which means taste.

Gusto is a masculine noun and it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: 

• el gusto = the taste / pleasure
• un gusto = a taste / pleasure
• los gustos = the tastes / pleasures
• unos gustos = some tastes / pleasures

In addition to referring to the physiological sense, it can also denote the flavour of a food or drink. Here are a few adjectives we use to describe different gusto:

By extension, gusto can describe one’s ability to discern what is of good quality, or one’s keen sense of aesthetics. For example, you might say that a person tiene buen gusto (has good taste) in clothing, but mal gusto (bad taste) in romantic partners. A persona de gusto (person of taste) can be described as having a range of positive qualities, including cultural awareness, elegance, discretion, and polished manners to name a few.

Here are a few common expressions where gusto is used in this context:

• para mi gusto = for my taste
• a mi gusto = to my taste
• con gusto = tastefully
• de buen gusto / de mal gusto = in good taste / in bad taste (or tasteless)
• a gusto de = to the taste of

Fun Facts:

In English, we also use the word gusto to describe doing something with enthusiasm and enjoyment, often appearing in the phrase to do something with gusto. In older English, it also meant relish or liking.

Not surprisingly, it shares the same origin as the Spanish gusto, both deriving from the Latin gustus (taste). However, the word made its way into English through Italian.

Gusto has another common meaning in Spanish: pleasure. In fact, when you meet someone for the first time, you can expect to hear the expressions ¡Mucho / Tanto gusto! (literally much pleasure) and ¡Un gusto verlo!, which are the Spanish equivalents of Nice to meet you! The longer version of this greeting is Mucho gusto en conocerte (It’s a pleasure to meet you).

In response, you might say el gusto es mío, which means the pleasure is all mine.

Below are a few other common expressions that use gusto with the meaning pleasure:

• con mucho gusto = with much pleasure
• a gusto = at home, comfortable, at ease (e.g. me siento a gusto = I feel at ease)
• da gusto = it’s nice / it’s a pleasure (e.g. da gusto hacerlo = it’s nice to do it)
• por gusto = for pleasure, for the fun of it, for the sake of it

Important:

A gusto, in addition to meaning at home or comfortable, can also mean at will or according to one’s fancy. For example:

Maneja al novio a su gusto = She has her boyfriend twisted around her little finger (literally “she manages her boyfriend at will”)

If that weren’t enough, gusto can also mean liking, as in the expressions al gusto de (to the liking of) and tomar gusto a (to take a liking to).

Finally, it is worth mentioning that in the Southern Cone, gusto has two additional definitions: style / design / colour, and range / assortment.

Expressions and proverbs featuring ‘gusto’