Essential Common Spanish Phrases To Win You Respect & Admiration

One of the more common Spanish phrases liberally used by non-native speakers is the phrase used to state that you like or dislike something:

Me gusta or No me gusta

Both of these easy Spanish phrases are perfectly fine but we're now going to look at alternative, equally common Spanish phrases used throughout the Spanish-speaking world so you can state your likes and dislikes in a more authentic way. Now there's nothing wrong with using "me gusta", but it's a bit dull and predictable so we're going to burst-out from these bland phrases and introduce a vibrant, authentic flair to your spoken Spanish!

As well as being a much cooler alternative than me gusta to express that you like a particular thing, this first Spanish phrase is especially cool to use during those lovely moments when you have received a gift from someone.

Es la bomba indicates: It's ace! It's fabulous! Literally: It's the bomb!

Por ejemplo, you're given a lovely present from someone:

Mil gracias por tu regalito, el collar ¡es la bomba! - Many thanks for your gift, the necklace is terrific!

You can also use it to express that you like to watch a certain sport:

Disfruto mucho de ver MotoGP, ¡es la bomba! - I really enjoy watching MotoGP, it's fantastic!

Such smart useful Spanish phrases that are easy to introduce into your regular Spanish and they're a big improvement on me gusta for sure.

OK, you know how to say you like something without using me gusta, now let's look at how to express that you don't like something.  These next two helpful Spanish phrases are ones I use frequently and are just the job.

The first is: Me irrita - It irritates me.
 
Por ejemplo, when you see people throwing rubbish on the street:

Me irrita cuando la gente tira la basura en las calles - It irritates me when people throw their garbage onto the streets

That's a phrase I say regularly as litterbugs are one of my bugbears! The second smart Spanish expression is a peach and will give your Spanish an authentic polished edge. Just as we say: It gets on my nerves in English when we don't like something, the equivalent in Spanish is:

Me Toca Las Narices - It Gets On My Nerves Lit: It Touches My Nostrils.

So:

Me toca las narices si tengo que pelar las gambas - It gets on my nerves if I have to peel the prawns

Really easy, yes?

These are all very cool phrases to sprinkle into your spoken Spanish and they break you out of basic Spanish like me gusta. There's nothing wrong of course with me gusta but it's a little too basic and colorless. Use the common Spanish phrases here instead and they'll add color and depth to your vocabulary along with a realism certain to win you lots of respect from Spanish and Hispanic people.