THE PERSONAL A

In Spanish, when the direct object of a verb is a definite person

/persons or a pet, [nouns or pronouns], the preposition a is alway
placed before the object and after the verb.
e.g.
● Encuentro a mi amigo en la biblioteca.
-I meet my friend in the library.
● Voy a llamar a Pedro.
-I am going to call Peter.
● Veo a mi perrito en la calle.
-I see my puppy in the street.

NOTE:

1. The verb TENER does not usually take the personal a.

e.g.
● Tengo dos hermanos.
-I have two brothers.

EXCEPTIONS:

When the personal a is used after tener, it implies having a person in

a certain condition or in a certain role.
e.g.
● Él tiene a su esposa como asistenta.
-He has his wife as his assistant.
● Tengo a mi hija en la universidad ahora.
-I have my daughter in University now.

The Personal a is also used with tener when tener means “to hold.”
e.g.
● La madre tiene al nene / bebé en los brazos.
-The mother holds the baby in her arms.

2. Words like alguien (someone), nadie (no one), quien (who,whom),

¿quién? (who?, whom?), otro (other).......
also refer to people, so the personal a has to be used.
e. g.
● ¿Ves a alguien en la calle?
-Do you (fam. sing.) see anyone in the street?
● No veo a nadie.
-I see no one. camino de -on the way to
¿A quién encuentras camino de escuela?
- Whom do you (fam. sing.) meet on the way to school?

3. The Personal a is also required before alguno, ninguno, and

 cualquier(a) when they modify a noun referring to people, or are
used as pronouns referring to people.
e.g.
● ¿Conoce vd. a algunos profesores en Madrid?
-Do you (polite sing.) know any teachers in Madrid?
● No, no conozco a ningún profesor.
- No, I don’t know any teacher.
● Laura está dispuesta a ayudar a cualquier amigo.
-Laura is willing to help any friend. estar dispuesto(a) a+ infin
To be willing to do sth

4. The Personal a is also used before other pronouns that refer to

people.
e. g.
● Hoy llevo a los míos al centro.
-Today I am taking my family downtown.

5. The Personal a is generally used before ¿Cuántos? / Cuántas?,

when it refers to people, but it is often omitted before the number
that may appear in the answer to the question.
e.g.
● ¿ A cuántos conociste?
-How many of them did you(fam. sing.) meet?
 ● Conocí (a) siete.
-I met seven.

6. When the Personal a is used after querer, the verb means,‘ to love’,
or ‘to like’.
e. G. querer - to wish, want, love
● Ricardo quiere a Sofía.
-Richard loves Sophia.
● No quieren a su cocinero.
-They do not like their cook.

When the personal a is omitted after querer, the verb means, ‘to want’
e.g.
● Quieren otro cocinero.
-They want another cook.

The Personal a is not used:

1. if the (personal) object is general or indefinite.
 e. g.

● Él detesta los abogados.

-He hates lawyers. [Lawyers in general]
● Buscamos una cocinera .
We are looking for a cook. [Indefinite; any cook]

2. after the verb tener in its usual meaning of, ‘to have’, ‘to possess’.
e.g.
● Ella tiene cuatro hijos.
-She has four children
● Tengo una tía que vive en Madrid.
-I have an aunt who lives in Madrid.

3. after the verb hay.

e. g.
● Hay un policía en la calle.
-There is a policeman in the street.

The Personal a is optional in the following:

1. before words beginning with a
e.g.
● Conocemos (a) Ana.
-We know Ann.

2. In sentences where there is a Direct or Indirect Object, or both,

it may be omitted before the Direct Object.
e. g.
● Él lleva (a) su madre al médico.
-He takes his mother to the doctor.

● before personified abstract nouns.

(It is generally inserted in literary Spanish.)
e.g.
● Él ama (a) la paz.
- He loves peace.

4. before expressions of quantity.

e. g.
● Voy a invitar (a) veinte personas.
-I am going to invite twenty persons.

5. before collective nouns.

e.g.
● Al llegar al cine vemos (a) una muchedumbre en la entrada.
-On arriving at the cinema, we see a crowd at the entrance.
La muchedumbre - crowd

EXERCISES ON THE PERSONAL A

1. TRANSLATE INTO SPANISH

1. Do you (fam. sing.) see your father?

¿Ves a tu papá / padre?

2. I am going to visit my (male) cousin in Spain next year.

Voy a visitar a mi primo en España el año que viene. /el próximo año.
ir + a + infinitive -to go to do something

3. I always call my grandparents every day.

Siempre llamo a mis abuelos todos los días. / cada día.

4. We are waiting for the (male) Principal.

Estamos esperando al director.
5. The little girl misses her parents.
La niña echa de menos a sus padres.

echar de menos - to miss

6. Do you (pol. pl.) know the (female) Spanish teacher?

¿Conocen vds. a la profesora de español.

7. We like your mother very much.

Queremos mucho a tu mamá.

8. I am looking for my puppy Ginger.

Estoy buscando a mi perrito Ginger.

9. Who are you (fam. sing.) seeing in the park?

¿A quién ves en el parque?

10. Do you (fam. sing.) help your mother at home?

¿Ayudas a tu mamá / madre en casa?

11. I am going to invite my friends to my Birthday Party.

Voy a invitar a mis amigos a mi fiesta de cumpleaños.
12.Do you (fam. sing.) know my sister?
¿Conoces a mi hermana?

13. He is looking at the pretty girls.

Él está mirando a las chicas bonitas.

14. We are going to meet our parents at the airport.

Vamos a recibir / encontrar a nuestros padres en el aeropuerto.

15. I cannot call anyone. My phone is not working.

No puedo llamar a nadie. Mi teléfono no sirve. /funciona

16. We have to bathe the dog.

Tenemos que bañar al perro.

17. I know the López family very well.

Conozco muy bien a la familia López.

18. The lawyer accompanies his client to the police station.

El abogado acompaña a su cliente a la comisaría.

19. She always helps everyone.

 Ella siempre ayuda a todo el mundo. / todos

20. No one understands Profesor García.

Nadie entiende /comprende al Profesor García.

2. PUT IN THE PERSONAL A IF NECESSARY, IN THE FOLLOWING

SENTENCES.

1. Yo espero a mis padres.

I am waiting for my parents.

2. Los alumnos miran el mapa.

The students look at the map.

3. Tengo muchos parientes en Venezuela.

I have many relatives inVenezuela.

4. Conocemos a mucha gente.

We know a lot of people.

5. Voy a visitar a mi tío en el campo.

I am going to visit my uncle in the countryside.
 6. Hay un ladrón en la casa.
There is a thief in the house.

7. Busco el cuarto de baño.

I am looking for the bathroom.

8.Tenemos que ayudar a nuestros amigos.

We have to help our friends.

9. Mi hermana quiere los niños.

My sister likes children.

10. Ella está leyendo el periódico.

She is reading the newspaper.

11. El muchacho lava al gatito.

The boy washes the kitten.

12. El alcalde alaba la policía.

The mayor praises the police.

13. Quiero conocer a tu familia.

 I want to meet /to get to know your family.

14. Invito a mi novia al cine.

I invite my girlfriend to the cinema.

15. ¿Estás mirando la película?

Are you looking at the film?

16. Espero la llegada del director.

I am waiting for the principal’s arrival.

17. ¿Conoces la isla de Tobago?

Do you know the island of Tobago?

18. Encontramos a poca gente en la calle.

We meet few persons in the street.

19. No puedo encontrar mis lentes.

I cannot find my glasses.

20. Quiero ver al bebé.

I want to see the baby.