Present Simple Short Answers

When we speak about likes and dislikes, we use the Present Simple Tense, because
preferences are always true (in opposition to temporary actions).

For example, “I like running in my free time”, or “My team leader likes people to
arrive on time”. They are habits, routines, or facts.

Take a look at the following chart with questions and answers about likes and
dislikes. Yes/No questions have a short answer; WH questions, an answer that
gives information:

Yes/No Question WH Question

Do you like social events?
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
¿Te gustan los eventos What kind of events do ¿Qué tipo de eventos te
sociales? gustan?
you like?
Sí, me gustan. / No. No I like seminars a lot. Me gustan mucho los
me gustan. seminarios.

Does he work at this ¿Trabaja él en esta What does he do, ¿A qué se dedica,
compañía? exactamente?
company? exactly?

Yes, he does. / No, he Si, lo hace. / No, no lo He is a financial Es un consejero

hace. financiero.
doesn’t. advisor.
Do they like our products? ¿Les gustan (a ellos) What do they like? ¿Qué les gusta?
nuestros productos?

Yes, they do. They love Si. Los adoran. They prefer our rival’s Ellos prefieren los
No. No les gustan productos de la
them. products.
mucho. competencia.
No, they don’t like them
very much.*
(*) “Them” > “a ellos”. Siempre después de una preposición o un verbo:

They love them. (Ellos los adoran [a ellos])“Them” is an Object Pronoun.

 Object Pronouns
Subject Object Examples
Pronoun pronouns
I ME Listen to me! ¡Escúchame (a mí)!

HE HIM Tell him I’m here. Dígale (a él) que estoy aquí.

SHE HER Can you see her? ¿Puedes verla (a ella)?

IT IT Write it here. Escribelo (a eso) aqui.

YOU YOU I’m talking to you. Te/Le hablo a ti / vos / usted.

WE US Tell us the truth. Cuéntanos la verdad (a nosotros).

THEY THEM Clients love them. Los clientes los adoran (a ellos).

All of the above examples help us express our likes and dislikes; however, when we
want to ask about what others want to do, we can use a Modal Verb, WOULD, in
order to be politer*.

(*) POLITE: cortés, educado, formal

Would
Example:

• Would you like to have a seat? (¿Te/Le gustaría tomar asiento?)

Would you like + verb

How to use "would like" with a verb?

"Would like" is used to mean” want”, but it is used for more polite expressions.

• Do you want to drink a coffee? (This is less formal and polite. We usually use this for
friends, children, etc.)

• Would you like to drink a coffee? (This is more polite and formal.)
 We can use it with a verb:

Form:

Subject + would like + to + verb .

I would like to see the project plan. Would you like to arrange a meeting?

Me gustaría ver le plan del proyecto. ¿Le gustaría coordinar una reunión?

We can use it in positive, negative sentences and questions.

"Would + verb" is the same for all subjects.

• I would like to stay home today.

• She would not agree to buy that product.
• Would you like to go to the conference?

Contractions:
We can make them shorter by using contractions:

I would like = I'd like

She would like = She'd like /he'd

They would like = They'd like

We would like = We'd like

You would like = You'd like

 Other verbs that use the structure: VERB + TO INFINITIVE
Here is a list of other verbs that have the same form (verb + to infinitive):

agree like offer

ask dislike plan

continue love prefer

decide hate prepare

hope need promise

Examples:

• We agree to make a deal. (Acordamos hacer un trato)

• We plan to buy the company. (Planeamos comprar la compañía)
• She promises to pay the fee. (Ella promete pagar la tasa)
• They prefer to buy online. (Ellos prefieren comprar en línea)