Because of this "back-to-front" structure, the thing you like is actually the subject of the sentence. This is why you must change the verb if you like more than one thing: Me gusta la música (The music pleases me). Plural: Me gustan los libros (The books please me). Social Contexts
Me gusta el café translates literally to "The coffee pleases me". English Logic: "I like coffee."
Unlike the English verb "to like," the Spanish verb literally means "to be pleasing to".
The phrase is one of the most essential building blocks of the Spanish language, serving as the standard way to express "I like". While it is simple to use, its literal structure is often a surprise for English speakers. The Literal Meaning