Direct Object Pronouns and Personal "a" (Capítulo 5)

First of all you must remember that a direct object in a sentence is the person, event or thing affected by the verb. The main difference between the use of the direct object pronouns in Spanish and English is their placement. While in English they substitute the direct object (and its article) and are placed where the original object was, in Spanish this pronoun is placed in front of the verb, replacing also any article used with the object previously.

Direct object pronouns (DOP's) are words that replace direct object nouns (DON's). Like in English, Spanish sometimes uses a DOP to avoid repeating a noun already mentioned. Example: Felipe compra el sombrero ("el sombrero" is the direct object noun or DON) - Felipe lo compra ("lo" is the DOP). Another example: Vicky tiene el libro - Vicky lo tiene (which is the DON and which is the DOP?). You must be able to recognize which is which, which is a direct object noun (DON) and which is a direct object pronoun (DOP).

Note: In affirmative sentences the DOP's generally appear before the conjugated verb, like in: Adela practica el tenis ("el tenis" is the DON) - Adela lo practica ("lo" is the DOP). Carmen compra los tiquetes ("los tiquetes" is the DON) - Carmen los compra ("los" is the DOP).

In negative sentences, the pronoun is placed between the word NO and the verb. Examples: Pablo no tiene los zapatos - Pablo no los tiene; Diego no tiene las llaves - Diego no las tiene.

When the verb is an "infinitive construction," like "van a escribir" or "van a mirar," the DOP can be placed before the conjugated form. Examples: Ellos van a escribir unas cartas - Ellos las van a escribir. Lidia va a ver una película - Lidia la va a ver. You can also say: Ellos van a escribirlas (notice how the DOP "las" moves to the end of the verb) and Lidia va a verla ("la" moves to the end of the verb too).

As you can see below, the indirect object pronouns agree in number with the corresponding direct object pronouns me, te, nos and os, but not in gender.

Personal "a:" When the direct object is a place, the personal "a" is not required. Example (The direct object nouns are underlined): Susana visita el museo - Susana lo visita ("lo" is the Direct Object Pronoun). The personal "a" is required when the direct object is a person. Example: Susana visita a Cristina - Susana la visita ("la" is the Direct Object Pronoun or DOP). Also, when the DOP is a person (or persons) and includes a possessive adjective, like Yo llamo a mis primos, you use the personal "a." Other examples (Verbo Ver): Veo a mi amiga, veo a mi mamá, veo a mi prima, ¿ves a tus amigos hoy? and ¿comprendes al profesor? (el profesor) - "al" instead of "a el," remember? (Verbo Comprender) etc. But for "Tengo tres hermanos" you don't use the personal "a." With practice you'll see the difference. You very rarely use the "a personal" with the Verbo Tener. There are some examples that you don't need to learn at this time.

To understand the personal "a" and the "DOP's" better, I need you to work on the following exercises: Workbook page 86 - Exercises No. 8 and 9, I also want you to create sentences with the DOP's. Example: Todos los días llevo el perro al parque ("llevo" from "llevar" is the verb, "el perro" is the DON) - Todos los días lo llevo al parque ("lo" is the DOP). And pages 87 and 88.

On Friday, April 4, 2014: You will have a TEST on Direct Object Pronouns, Verbos Tener and Venir, Personal "a" and what we cover up to that date (Lecciones A & B - Capítulo 5). I won't include "El Calendario" and "Fechas" (Dates), and numbers.