Today we will help you master two Spanish words: Sabor and Gusto. If you still mix them up while speaking in Spanish, take a look at this short explanation. El Rincón del Tándem Spanish school will help you avoid any mistake 😊

The Spanish words: sabor y gusto might cause some confusion in students. Each words have different meanings, although there are cases in which both mean “flavour”.

Our Spanish school gives you a short and simple explanation about them.
Take a look at it!

Meanings of SABOR

1. Flavour. A sense produced by something and sensed through the organ of taste

  • La tarta de queso tiene un sabor exquisito = The strawberry cake has a fantastic flavour
  • Este postre no tiene buen sabor = This dessert hasn’t a good flavour
  • El jarabe para la tos tiene sabor a fresa = The cough syrup has a strowberry flavour

2. Impression, feeling

When sabor indicate an impression or a sensation caused by something, the word will be frequently used in set expressions:

– Con sabor a

  • La película me dejó con sabor a nostalgia = The movie gave me a feeling of sadness

– Dejar buen sabor de boca = To leave somebody with a good impression

  • La entrevista de trabajo con la última candidata me dejó un buen sabor de boca = The job interview of the last applicant left me with a good impression

Dejar con un mal sabor de boca = To make a bad impression, to leave a bad taste in somebody’s mouth

  • Tu comentario me dejó con un mal sabor de boca = Your remark left me a bad taste in my mouth

Meanings of GUSTO

1. Taste. It refers to one of the five senses.

  • Después de la cura, perdí el sentido del gusto durante un mes = After the treatment, I lost the sense of taste for one month

2. Flavour. In this case, there is no a clear difference between sabor and gusto.

  • ¿Qué gusto de helado prefieres? = What is your favourite ice cream flavour?
  • Este licor tiene un gusto amargo =This liquor has a bitter flavour

3. Ability to appreciate beauty

  • Mi hermana tiene buen gusto para la ropa = Mi sister has good taste in clothing

4. Interests, taste.

  • Lucas y yo tenemos los mismos gustos musicales = Lucas and I have the same taste in music
  • María y Pilar tienen gustos distintos así que pasan poco tiempo libre juntas = Maria and Pilar have different interests so that they do not spend much spare time together

5. Delight. The pleasure that we feel when doing or seeing something

  • ¡Qué gusto verte tan feliz! = It’s a pleasure to see you so happy!
  • Pablo es una persona encantadora. Es un gusto viajar con él = Pablo is a really nice person. It is a pleasure travelling with him

6. Liking, fondness

  • La dependienta me enseñó muchos bolsos pero ninguno era de mi gusto = The shop assistant showed me many bags but none of them were to my likings
  • Después de mi viaje a Escocia, le estoy tomando gusto al whisky = After visiting Scotland, I am taking a liking to whisky

We hope this short article helps you understand the difference between the Spanish words: Sabor vs gusto.

Lastly, our Spanish school, El Rincón del Tándem, invites you to keep improving your Spanish mastering new Spanish words and learning how to use them properly.

¡Hasta luego!