Usually in Spanish, a noun that acts as a
direct object is joined directly to the modifying verb; however, this is only when the direct object is a thing. When the direct object is a person, or people, then we put an
a between the verb and the noun. This is known as the
personal a.
There is no English equivalent to this grammar oddity. Notice the following examples with a personal
a underlined:
No veo a Juan. I don't see Juan.Tengo que llevar a mi hermano a la escuela. I have to take my brother to the school.Some verbs that you might find a person acting as a direct object are
esperar (to wait for, to expect),
parecerse (to look like), and
buscar (to look for), as in the following sentences:
Espero a David en la sala de espera. I'm waiting for David in the waiting room.Jaime se parece a George W. Bush. Jaime looks like George W. Bush.Nosotros buscamos a la muchacha que vende faldas. We're looking for the gal that sells skirts.
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