Me caes bien: how to like someone without flirting

Tell a new coworker me gustas mucho and you've confessed a crush. Me caes muy bien says what you meant.

You said

Me gustas mucho, eres muy buena onda.

What it means: I'm really into you, you're really cool.

A local says

Me caes muy bien, eres muy buena onda.

I really like you, you're really cool.

Why: Me gustas, said to a person, means attraction. For liking someone as a person, use caer bien: me caes bien.

A coffee break at a new job in Mexico City

Me gustas mucho, eres muy buena onda.

Your coworker blinks. "Ah… gracias. Tú también me caes bien."

Gustar works for food, music and cities, so me gustas looks like the natural way to say "I like you". With a person, though, it means attraction: I fancy you, I'm into you. Me gustas mucho said to a coworker is a confession, and it's how plenty of love stories begin. That's a fine thing to say, as long as it's what you mean.

For liking someone as a person, Spanish uses caer bien, literally "to fall well". It works like gustar: the person you like is the subject, and you're the pronoun. Me caes bien (I like you), me cae bien tu hermano (I like your brother), nos caen bien tus amigos (we like your friends). The opposite is just as useful: me cae mal means I don't like him or her, in a mild way.

In Mexico you'll hear me cae muy bien constantly, often next to es muy buena onda (he's really cool, she's really nice). The blunt opposite is me cae gordo, literally "he falls fat on me", meaning I can't stand him. And me gusta is still fine for what a person does: me gusta cómo canta (I like how she sings) is about the singing.

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Also worth knowing

Spanish	English
Tu hermana me cae muy bien.	I really like your sister.
Ese señor me cae gordo.	I can't stand that guy.
Es muy buena onda.	She's really nice.

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Questions people ask

What does me caes bien mean?

I like you, as a person. It is friendly, not romantic, and works with coworkers, neighbours and new friends.

What is the difference between me gustas and me caes bien?

Me gustas means you are attracted to someone. Me caes bien means you like them as a person. Saying me gustas to a friend can sound like a confession.

What does me cae mal mean?

I don't like him or her. Caer mal is a mild way to say you don't get on with someone. In Mexico, me cae gordo is stronger: I can't stand him.