Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar


Indirect Object Pronouns

 

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old January 31, 2023, 03:36 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is online now
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,038
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
I don't know why this would be an exercise, but I can only say that this is hard, even for native speakers. The "personal a" makes it very confusing for most of us.
We are taught to distinguish direct object from indirect object by asking "¿qué?" and "¿a quién?" correspondingly, which works for some sentences like:

- (Le) di un chocolate a mi mamá. (I gave a chocolate to my mom.)
DO question: ¿Qué (le) di a mi mamá? (What did I give to my mother??
Answer: Un chocolate. (A chocolate)
IO question: ¿A quién (le) di un chocolate? (To whom did I give a chocolate?)
Answer: A mi mamá. (To my mom.)

But then, there is the "personal a", which we use to separate a transitive verb from a person. This is a way to show respect for every person, and it's extended to animals that we care for. So the question "¿a quién?" becomes confusing for DO and IO:

- Ellos invitan a Susana.

The DO question "¿qué?" is not working here, because the verb doesn't "pass" its action on something. Yet, if we ask "¿a quién?" there is a valid answer, but the interpretation that because of this we have an indirect object is wrong.
We have to examine the verb and whether it's transitive or not.
"Ellos invitan" without a complement, makes no sense, so "invitar" is a transitive verb, and the person invited is the direct object.

- Llevo al perro al veterinario. (I take the dog to the vet.)
Again, asking "¿a quién?" has a logical answer, but "el perro" is the recipient of the action of the verb, so the answer "al perro" is not an IO, but a case of "personal a".

- El caníbal se comió al explorador. (The cannibal ate the explorer.)
Even when it's such a disrespectful action, like eating someone, we still use "personal a" to separate the person from the verb, but this is still a transitive verb, and the explorer is the DO.

@Oldman: Keep asking questions. It's going to become clear some time.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #12  
Old February 01, 2023, 04:44 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is online now
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Yeah, the link that Oldman provided in post #8 contained very good information as I read it through. Very good.
Much the same question that Oldman said he found on a quiz was one of the topics of that discussion. And it became the main topic after a while.
Oldman's quiz has something wrong with it if it asked him to substitute an indirect object pronoun for the direct object Susana. Perhaps that was just a mistake.

(As I said in post #10, when the verb invitar is used with a different meaning (treat, buy, pay for), Susana is the indirect object., but that meaning was not being used in the quiz.)

Sorry to have added confusion to confusion.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Indirect Object Pronouns Nex Grammar 3 June 08, 2014 02:52 PM
Indirect object pronouns Eduardo256 Grammar 8 February 05, 2013 03:57 PM
What's Exactly Wrong with This? (Indirect Object Pronouns) TOstojich Practice & Homework 1 December 01, 2011 07:54 PM
direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns Twitchy11 Grammar 3 September 29, 2007 11:37 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:53 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X