Random exercise questions....

[laepelba]

I have several different questions from several different exercises which I think can all be answered quickly (I hope!). And I hope that it's okay that I clumped all of my answers together in one post... The chapter is on determiners....

Exercise set 2-3: (Insert a suitable quantifier in the blank.)

4) Hago gimnasia _________ día después de levantarme.
My answer: todo el
The book's answer: cada
(Is mine okay?)

5) Sólo necesito __________ sal. Es que se me ha olvidado comprar esta mañana.
My answer: alguna
The book's answer: un poco de
(Again, is mine okay?)

Exercise 2-5: (Use the words provided to create a sentence.)

3) ¿ / ? / Ana / los / vio / a / matorrales / entre / alguien
I wrote: ¿Ana vio a alguien entre los matorrales?
The book's answer: ¿Vio Ana a alguien entre los matorrales?
(Is mine okay? But if mine WERE okay, it would need "le" before vio, right?)

4) (I understand the syntax, but have a question about word choice...)
Algunos de mis compañeros han sido despedidos.
(Why "sido" and not "estado"?)

5) dueño / todo / esto / de / el / día / serás / algún
My answer: Serás el dueño de todo esto algún día.
The book's answer: Algún día serás el dueño de todo esto.
(Is mine okay?)

Exercise 2-6: (Re-write the given sentence so that the meaning stays unchanged, using the word in parentheses.)

1) Hay poquísimas cervezas en el sótano. (casi)
The book's answer: Casi no hay cerveza en el sótano.
(I didn't even know what to do with this one. Is that word order ("casi no hay...") common?

Thanks for any suggestions you can give me!!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Some answers and comments below...

Originally Posted by laepelba

Exercise set 2-3: (Insert a suitable quantifier in the blank.)

4) Hago gimnasia _________ día después de levantarme.
My answer: todo el
The book's answer: cada
(Is mine okay?) No, it isn't, unless you want to say you don't do anything else during the day than exercising. "Todos los días" would mean you exercise every day after getting up.

5) Sólo necesito __________ sal. Es que se me ha olvidado comprar esta mañana.
My answer: alguna
The book's answer: un poco de
(Again, is mine okay?) No. Salt is not countable. You could have said "algunos granos de sal", but then you couldn't buy just a few grains of salt.

Exercise 2-5: (Use the words provided to create a sentence.)

3) ¿ / ? / Ana / los / vio / a / matorrales / entre / alguien
I wrote: ¿Ana vio a alguien entre los matorrales?
The book's answer: ¿Vio Ana a alguien entre los matorrales?
(Is mine okay? Spanish is flexible but the verb at the start marks the question. But if mine WERE okay, it would need "le" before vio, right? No, you wouldn't. And it would be incorrect.)

4) (I understand the syntax, but have a question about word choice...)
Algunos de mis compañeros han sido despedidos.
(Why "sido" and not "estado"?) Passive voice.

5) dueño / todo / esto / de / el / día / serás / algún
My answer: Serás el dueño de todo esto algún día.
The book's answer: Algún día serás el dueño de todo esto.
(Is mine okay?) Yes.

Exercise 2-6: (Re-write the given sentence so that the meaning stays unchanged, using the word in parentheses.)

1) Hay poquísimas cervezas en el sótano. (casi)
The book's answer: Casi no hay cerveza en el sótano.
(I didn't even know what to do with this one. Is that word order ("casi no hay...") common? Yes, it is. "Casi" is an adverb that's is always (unless someone else finds me a counterexample) placed before the word it modifies.

[laepelba]

Thanks, Malila!!

A couple of questions remain....

In 2-3, #4, that is actually what I meant to say - that I exercise all day without doing anything else. I guess I watch too much Biggest Loser. (I personally don't exercise at all....) Seems a ridiculous case....

In 2-5, #3, if it weren't a question, but a statement, would it need a "le"? "Ana (le?) vio a alguien entre los matorrales."

The rest of your answers make sense and are very helpful!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

4) Well, it's fine you're using your sense of humour, but remember it's hard to find such a case in a textbook.

3) No, it wouldn't.
"Le" is for an indirect object. "Ver a alguien" would need a direct object pronoun, if any. But in this case, it would be superfluous.

[laepelba]

My problem really is with some verbs, I can't tell if the object is a direct or an indirect object. It's OBVIOUS with "dar" or "mandar" what is direct & indirect. But with "ver a alguien", I can't tell if "a alguien" is direct or indirect. I also have trouble with "invitar" and some other verbs.....

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

But with "ver a alguien", I can't tell if "a alguien" is direct or indirect.

If it's any consolation, I have this problem as well. The a is the most infuriating preposition because it can introduce a direct object, an indirect object, motion towards, location, rate, manner, almost anything, or so it seems.

[laepelba]

It's not the "a" that confuses me, because I know that a person can technically be either an indirect object, a direct object or a subject.... What confuses me is that in English we don't distinguish. "Her father gave away his daughter to her new husband at the wedding." Yeah. Or they can both be non-persons. "I sent a letter to the post office to await pick-up." Again, yeah.....

What is hard for me is that in English we don't have different object pronouns. So we don't need to think about the difference. I never have difficulty in Spanish when the object (direct or indirect) is 1st or 2nd person. Only 3rd person. And then there are some who always use "le" for a male person whether he's a direct or indirect object ... "leismo" (if I understand it correctly).

So when I say "I see her standing there", I don't know if SHE is the direct object or the indirect object, so I don't know whether to say "la" or "le". And then, sometimes, there needs to be a "le" even if you state the indirect object later in the sentence: "Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar su hijo a la escuela." (Is that even right?).....

Uyyyyy.....

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

It's not the "a" that confuses me, because I know that a person can technically be either an indirect object, a direct object or a subject.... What confuses me is that in English we don't distinguish. "Her father gave away his daughter to her new husband at the wedding." Yeah. Or they can both be non-persons. "I sent a letter to the post office to await pick-up." Again, yeah.....

What is hard for me is that in English we don't have different object pronouns. So we don't need to think about the difference. I never have difficulty in Spanish when the object (direct or indirect) is 1st or 2nd person. Only 3rd person. And then there are some who always use "le" for a male person whether he's a direct or indirect object ... "leismo" (if I understand it correctly).

So when I say "I see her standing there", I don't know if SHE is the direct object or the indirect object, so I don't know whether to say "la" or "le". And then, sometimes, there needs to be a "le" even if you state the indirect object later in the sentence: "Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar su hijo a la escuela." (Is that even right?).....

Uyyyyy.....

OK I think I know your problem. As you know, I don't know grammar, but let's see if you can solve this with my explanations.

"Her father gave away his daughter to her new husband at the wedding." = Su padre dió (a) su hija a su nuevo esposo en la boda. (very ambiguous in both languages)

I sent a letter to the post office to await pick-up. = Envié una carta al correo para ser recogida (a la espera a ser recogida) I don't think there is a problem there....


I see her standing there = La veo parada alli (a ella). (le veo is leísmo)


Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar su hijo a la escuela." (Is that even right?) (yes it's right) = I told (to) my brother that I am going to take his son to school.

Now, coupled with what you already know of grammar, did these solved your questions or not?

[Don José]

To understand what a direct object is, we were firstly said that we had to "ask the verb":

"I see her standing there"

What do you see? I see her. So her is the direct object and you have to use "la".

"Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela.

¿Qué dijiste? Que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela. So that whole sentence is the direct object.

Unfortunately, we were said later that we should not ask the verb because the verb can´t talk. So I wonder if that rule works always. I don´t remember what we were expected to do instead of asking the verb.

I suppose there must be one or more threads abour direct objects.

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by Don José

To understand what a direct object is, we were firstly first said told that we had to "ask the verb":

"I see her standing there"

What do you see? I see her. So her is the direct object and you have to use "la".

"Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela.

¿Qué dijiste? Que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela. So that whole sentence is the direct object.

Unfortunately, we were said told later that we should not ask the verb because the verb can´t talk. So I wonder if that rule works always. I don´t remember what we were expected to do instead of asking the verb.

I suppose there must be one or more threads abour direct objects.

say = "decir (algo)"
tell = "decirle (algo) a alguien" OR "contar(le) (una historia/un cuento) (a alguien)".

"Say to me/you/him/etc" is possible and common, but "say me/you/him/etc" is wrong.

The difference between "say to me" and "tell me" is subtle, but present. Often "say to me" focuses on the exact words, while "tell me" focuses on the story rather than on the exact words.

"we were told" is passive voice, with the active voice indirect object turned into the passive subject.

"*we were said" is wrong because "we/us" is not valid as a passive subject of "say".

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Don José

To understand what a direct object is, we were firstly said that we had to "ask the verb":

"I see her standing there"

What do you see? I see her. So her is the direct object and you have to use "la". <--- Here we use "la" for the direct object???

"Le dije a mi hermano que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela. <---- Here we use "le" for the direct object???

¿Qué dijiste? Que voy a llevar a su hijo a la escuela. So that whole sentence is the direct object.

Unfortunately, we were said later that we should not ask the verb because the verb can´t talk. So I wonder if that rule works always. I don´t remember what we were expected to do instead of asking the verb.

I suppose there must be one or more threads abour direct objects.

Ahhhhh...... ???

[Rusty]

La veo (I see her).

The 'le' in "Le dije a mi hermano ..." is referring to 'a mi hermano'. He is the indirect object. In the direct object, which is the entire noun clause that follows the conjunction 'que', no object pronoun was used. However, if you wanted to add one, it would be 'lo' - voy a llevarlo (a su hijo) a la escuela.

In English, we happen to have the same pronoun for both an indirect and a direct object, but that doesn't mean that we don't differentiate.
'Her', in the first sentence above, is a direct object pronoun. A female person is directly receiving the action of the verb. The verb 'see' doesn't take an indirect object.
The verb 'tell', however, takes both a direct object (what is told) and an indirect object (to whom). In Spanish, 'le' corresponds to the 'to whom' part and 'lo' corresponds to the 'what is told' part (if we're assuming third-person objects).

[Don José]

Thanks, wrholt. I knew that, I should not make such mistakes.

As Rusty asked the questions, I will only add one thing.

Originally Posted by Rusty

In the direct object, which is the entire noun clause that follows the conjunction 'que', no object pronoun was used. However, if you wanted to add one, it would be 'lo' - voy a llevarlo (a su hijo) a la escuela.

Although that is rigth, I was thinking in:

Se lo dije a mi hermano (lo = que voy a llevar asu hijo a la escuela, direct object)

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Don José

To understand what a direct object is, we were firstly said that we had to "ask the verb":

"I see her standing there"

What do you see? I see her. So her is the direct object and you have to use "la".

Originally Posted by Rusty

La veo (I see her).

The 'le' in "Le dije a mi hermano ..." is referring to 'a mi hermano'. He is the indirect object. In the direct object, which is the entire noun clause that follows the conjunction 'que', no object pronoun was used. However, if you wanted to add one, it would be 'lo' - voy a llevarlo (a su hijo) a la escuela.

In English, we happen to have the same pronoun for both an indirect and a direct object, but that doesn't mean that we don't differentiate.
'Her', in the first sentence above, is a direct object pronoun. A female person is directly receiving the action of the verb. The verb 'see' doesn't take an indirect object.
The verb 'tell', however, takes both a direct object (what is told) and an indirect object (to whom). In Spanish, 'le' corresponds to the 'to whom' part and 'lo' corresponds to the 'what is told' part (if we're assuming third-person objects).

Still pondering this.....

If you say "I see her standing there", you could ask either "what do you see?" or "who do you see?" ... and, Rusty, if you say, "see doesn't take an indirect object", I can memorize that one verb. But do I have to memorize every single verb for whether it does or does not take an indirect object? Some of them are not so obvious to me.....

[Rusty]

You don't have to memorize anything.
While learning which pronoun to use, you need to simply ask the questions - What do/does (subject) (action)? Who do/does (subject) (action)? - to determine if you need a direct object. Likewise, you need to ask the questions - To what? To whom? - to determine if there is a need for an indirect object.

María escribe una carta a su tía.
¿Qué escribe? -Una carta (complemento directo femenino)
(pronombre de complemento directo femenino = la)
¿A quién escribe? -A su tía (complemento indirecto femenino)(pronombre de complemento indirecto femenino = le)

Remember, two third-person object pronouns don't sound good together, so the indirect object is changed to se.

María se la escribe (a su tía).

[Don José]

If you say "I see her standing there", you could ask either "what do you see?" or "who do you see?"

Well, it would be a "what" that may include "who".

Imagine I'm saying: I see... I see...
You could ask: "what do you see?", because you don't know if I seeing something or somebody.

A verb implies an action, and the result of that particular action is the direct object. The result of seeing is what/who you see.

I told her a lie.

If you ask: what did I tell?, I think "a lie" is the obvious answer. But in doubt, thinking about the result of the verb action, a lie would be such result, not her.

I wonder if it helps.

[laepelba]

I'm working on it.... It's just not always obvious to me.... Given a random verb, I can't tell if there's a person that's the object and no other stated object (which would then make it obvious to me which is direct & which is indirect), I simply can't always tell. I'll keep working on it, and trying to listen when native speakers correct me (even though they're not always consistent either.....)