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The Personal a

The Personal a.

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The Personal a

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  1. The Personal a When the direct object of the verb is a specific person (or persons), you must place an a directly before the mention of that person (or persons). This is known as the personal a. The direct object is that noun which is affected directly by the verb, and it usually follows the verb immediately in both English and Spanish.

  2. Examples: Yo amo a Lucy. Miramos a George. I love Lucy. We watch George. Buscas ami hermano. Él ve aSusana. You look for my brother.He sees Susan. Ellos aman asus padres. They love their parents.

  3. The personal a is unique to Spanish. As you can see by the examples given, it does NOT translate. Adding the personal a can be seen as a sign of respect, an acknowledgment that the person is more important than his or her car: Veo a Juan. Veo el coche de Juan. I see Juan. I see John's car.

  4. When NOT to use it! 1. Do NOT use the personal a with the verbs ser (to be), tener (to have), or hay (there is; there are): Juan es colombiano. Tengo dos hermanos. John is Colombian.I have two brothers. 2.Do NOT use the personal a when the direct object is an unspecifiedperson: Busco un amigo leal. I'm looking for a loyal friend.

  5. When to USE it! 1. Use personal a with your pets and/or other animals with whom you have a personal relationship. Don't use it with stray pets, nesting birds, squirrels, etc... Examples: Amo a mi preciosa gata, Princesa. I love my darling cat, Princess. Odio las termitas. I hate termites.

  6. 2. Use personal a in a complex question that requires the personal a. Place the a before the interrogative (question word). Examples: ¿A quién amas? ¿A quién miras? Whom do you love?Whom are you watching? 3.When there is a series of direct objects that are people (and/or pets), each will require a personal a: Veo a Juan, a María, a Miguel y a Fido.

  7. 4. When the personal a precedes the definite article el, these contract to form al: Examples: Veo al chico. Ella ama al hombre. I see the boy. She loves the man. Escuchamos al Presidente. We listen to the President.

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