I. Caer bien/Caer mal (referring to people)

In Spanish, when you like a person in the sense that you think he or she is nice, smart, fun to be with, interesting, generous, or something of the sort, the idiomatic expression “caer bien” is used. However, when you like a person at a more deeper level, like you feel physically attracted to her or him, and you’d like to have a romantic relationship, then the verb gustar is used. Since in English, “I like you”, literally “me gustas” in Spanish, can convey both “me caes bien” and “me gustas,” depending on context, attitude, and intonation, special attention is required when communicating with native Spanish-speakers in order to avoid misunderstandings. In the same way, if you find a person unpleasant, annoying, not nice, etc, the expression “caer mal” is used, and if you are not attracted to him or her, then the verb “no gustar” is used.

Expressing physical attraction or lack of it:
Me gusta mucho tu amiga Margarita. ¡Es una diosa!
I do like your friend Margarita. She is a goddess!

Me gustas desde la primera vez que te vi.
I like you since the first time I saw you.

Ese chico no me gusta en absoluto; puede ser muy listo, pero no es mi tipo y no me siento atraída por él.
I don’t like that guy at all; he may be very smart, but he’s not my type and I’m not attracted to him.

A todas las mujeres les gusta Brad Pitt, pero a mí no me parece tan guapo.
All women like Brad Pitt, but I don’t find him that attractive.

A María le gusta Miguel con locura y quiere casarse con él algún día.
María is crazy about Miguel and she wants to marry him someday.

Expressing that you like a person because you think he or she is nice and you two can get along:
caer bien, caer muy bien, caer super bien, caer genial, caer fenomenal

Tu amiga Margarita me cae muy bien. Es muy simpática.
I really like your friend Margarita. She is vey nice.

Isabel me cae genial. Es una chica super interesante y nos llevamos muy bien.
I really like Isabel. She is a super interesting girl and we get along beautifully.

Expressing that you dislike a person because you think he or she is not nice and you two don’t get along:
caer mal, caer muy mal, caer super mal, caer gordo, caer fatal

La novia de mi hermano no le cae bien a mi madre.
My mother doesn’t like my brother’s girlfriend.

Mi compañero de casa me cae fatal, es super antipático.
I dislike my roommate a lot, he’s so unpleasant.

¡Julia me cae tan mal! ¡Es tan odiosa!
I dislike Julia so much! She’s so nasty!

La novia de Antonio me cae fatal; no la soporto.
I trully dislike Antonio’s girlfriend; I can’t stand her.

Ernesto me cae gordo, es tan grosero y vulgar.
I totally dislike Ernesto, he’s so rude and vulgar.

II. Caer bien/Caer mal (referring to food)

In Spanish, to say that a particular food does, or does not agree with you, the idiomatic expressions “caer bien” and “caer mal,” respectively, are used. El pescado me cayó fatal.
The fish did not agree with me at all.

Cuando estoy resfriada, la sopa de pollo siempre me cae muy bien.
When I have a cold, chicken soup always agrees nicely with me.

III. Caer bien/Caer mal (referring to someone’s behavior)

Le cayó muy mal que la criticaran.
She was very upset at being criticized.

Su comentario racista me cayó como una patada en el estómago.
Her racist comment felt like a kick in the stomach.

La noticia me cayó como un jarro de agua fría.
The news came as a real shock.