The personal a
Type the missing word in each sentence. You hear each sentence read by a native voice.
Vi en la calle.
I saw the inspector in the street.
The rule
Spanish puts the word a before a direct object that is a person. Veo a María, but veo el edificio. English has no equivalent, so this is easy to forget. Missing it sounds wrong to native speakers, and reading it correctly helps you tell apart who is doing the action and who is receiving it.
The pattern
Use a before a specific person, a group of people, or a pet when that person or animal is the direct object.
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| verb + a + person | Conozco a Laura. |
| verb + thing (no a) | Conozco la ciudad. |
This a does not mean "to." In Veo a María, the a marks María as the person receiving the action, not a destination.
Use it with indefinite words that refer to people: a alguien, a nadie, a todos.
With an unspecific person, a may be dropped: Busco un médico means you need any doctor. Busco a un médico suggests a particular one.
After tener, personal a is usually omitted: Tengo dos hermanos. But it appears when the person is in a specific situation: Tengo a mi madre en el hospital.
Examples
- Veo a María.I see María.
- Veo el edificio.I see the building.
- Llamé a mi hermano.I called my brother.
- Busco a alguien que hable inglés.I am looking for someone who speaks English.
- No conozco a nadie aquí.I do not know anyone here.
- Paseo a mi perro por el parque.I walk my dog in the park.
- Quiero a mis hijos.I love my children.
- Tengo dos hermanos.I have two brothers.
Watch out
- Veo María. Veo a María.A specific person as the direct object needs the personal a.
- Veo a la televisión. Veo la televisión.A television is a thing, not a person.
- Tengo a dos hermanos. Tengo dos hermanos.Tener usually does not take the personal a.
- Conozco a Madrid. Conozco Madrid.Conocer takes the personal a with people but not with places.