How to use "me" and "yo" in Spanish

[vita32]

The Spanish "me" is confusing because it translates in English as either "I" or "me".

Enseñame = teach me (imperative)
Me enseña = he teaches me
Me enseñan = they teach me

Me gusta = I like ( is gusta the only verb form where "me" precedes it?)

(Yo)Te enseño = I teach you (yo is ommitted). Can I say "Enseño usted" also?
Enseño ellos = I teach them

Corregidme por favor


Muchas gracias!

[Jessicake]

I know very little Spanish at the moment, so I could very well be wrong when I say this, but this is how I understand it at the moment:

gustar = to please

Me gusta manzanas = Apples please me.

So in this instance, Spanish me is still English me, rather than I. "Yo" is a subject pronoun, whereas "me" is an object pronoun. I think the object always comes before the verb, but I've only barely touched on grammar. I'm sure someone else can be more helpful!

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by vita32

The Spanish "me" is confusing because it translates in English as either "I" or "me". It translates as 'me' or 'to me' or 'for me', depending on usage. It'll never translate as 'I', since, as the next post points out, that is a subject pronoun. 'Me' is either an indirect object pronoun or a direct object pronoun.

Enséñame = teach me (imperative)
Me enseña = he teaches me
Me enseñan = they teach me

Me gusta = I like (it pleases me) (is gusta the only verb form where "me" precedes it?) No, there are several others.

(Yo)Te enseño = I teach you (yo is omitted).
Can I say "Enseño usted" also? "Le enseño a usted." This verb takes both an indirect and a direct object. The person to whom you are teaching something is the indirect object. What you are teaching is the direct object. In your example, the indirect object is 'a usted'. When an indirect object is needed, there must be an indirect object pronoun preceding the indicative mood verb. Providing the indirect object is an option, but you must provide the indirect object pronoun. So, if it is understood that you're addressing another person (usted), you don't have to provide the indirect object: "Le enseño."
Enseño ellos = I teach them "Les enseño (a ellos). The indirect object (in parentheses) is optional. The indirect object pronoun (les) is not optional.

Originally Posted by Jessicake

gustar = to be pleasing (to someone) 'to someone' means that an indirect object will be needed (unless it is understood). An indirect object pronoun is required.

Me gustan las manzanas. = Apples are pleasing to me. As I stated above, the indirect object pronoun 'me' must be present. The indirect object (a mí) is optional.

I think the object always comes before the verb ...

The object pronouns come before the verb in all but the imperative mood, where they are suffixed to the verb (and an accent mark may be needed to maintain the appropriate stress). The object pronouns are also suffixed to the infinitive.
For example, Vita32 correctly used the imperative and the indirect object pronoun when she wrote:
Enséñame = teach me (imperative)

The indirect object pronoun is also suffixed to the infinitive: enseñarme
Note that no accent mark was needed in the infinitive construct. This is because the infinitive itself is still stressed on the correct syllable (the one containing 'ar'). If we were to add a direct object pronoun (lo), which follows the indirect object pronoun, the accent would be needed to maintain the correct stress: enseñármelo

[ookami]

Originally Posted by vita32

(is gusta the only verb form where "me" precedes it?)

If I'm not wrong, you can use all verbs like that... correr, comer, parecer, gustar, saltar,..., etcétera

[vita32]

Originally Posted by Rusty

The object pronouns come before the verb in all but the imperative mood, where they are suffixed to the verb (and an accent mark may be needed to maintain the appropriate stress). The object pronouns are also suffixed to the infinitive.
For example, Vita32 correctly used the imperative and the indirect object pronoun when she wrote:
Enséñame = teach me (imperative)

The indirect object pronoun is also suffixed to the infinitive: enseñarme
Note that no accent mark was needed in the infinitive construct. This is because the infinitive itself is still stressed on the correct syllable (the one containing 'ar'). If we were to add a direct object pronoun (lo), which follows the indirect object pronoun, the accent would be needed to maintain the correct stress: enseñármelo

Rusty, thank you for your patience in explaining all these.

Does enseñarmelo means "to teach me what"?

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Enseñármelo: Teach me it
Enseñártelo: Teach you it
etc.

Ah, nunca entenderé esto!
Ah, I'll never understand this!
Yo puedo enseñártelo.
I can teach you (it).

[vita32]

Originally Posted by ookami

If I'm not wrong, you can use all verbs like that... correr, comer, parecer, gustar, saltar,..., etcétera

Thank you.