Personal A in Spanish

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, August 22, 2024

When you study a language, the most normal thing is to try to translate literally everything you want to convey or explain. However, many times there are no textual ways to translate some words or phrases, especially in Spanish.

The clearest example is the use of personal A in Spanish as a preposition to introduce a direct object. The use of this A has no equivalent in English or other languages, so it is a peculiarity unique to Spanish.

So, to continue expanding your knowledge and to learn Spanish at a new level, in this article at Enforex, you will learn what is the personal A in Spanish, how and when it is used and some examples so you can understand it better. Keep reading and don't miss anything!

How to use the personal A in Spanish?

To fully understand what this personal A in Spanish is, you must first learn the concept of the direct object. The direct object in Spanish is the person, animal or thing on which the function of the verb falls. If you want to find out what the direct object of a sentence is, you must ask the verb "¿qué?" (what) or "¿a quién?" (to whom).

For example, in the sentence "María estudia español" (Maria studies Spanish), the direct complement is español (Spanish), because when you ask the verb what does Maria study? It gives you the answer: Spanish.

Another example would be: "La casa tiene un jardín verde" (The house has a green garden), where the direct complement is jardín verde (green garden), because you ask the verb what does the house have?

It can also be the case that the direct object is a person, this is where the personal A comes into play.

Therefore, the personal A in Spanish refers to the use of the Spanish preposition "a" when a direct object that is a person or, in some cases, a personified being, is introduced in a sentence. Although this personal A is a specific grammatical term used to describe the function in the sentence structure.

In a conversational or non-technical context, one could simply say that this “a” has a prepositional use to mark a person as the direct object of a verb. For example, in the sentence "Juan besó a Luis" (Juan kisses Luis), you would find the personal A in Spanish.

In case you are wondering, no, in English there is no translation of this concept, since it is not necessary to add a proposition to the verb and subject. In fact, it would be incorrect to add this "a" in English to a sentence, but it is mandatory to add this "a" in Spanish sentences.

When to use the personal A in Spanish

As mentioned above, the personal A is used when the direct object is a person. For example:

• Vi a María en el parque (I saw Maria in the park). In this sentence, "Maria" is the direct object of "vi", and "a" is used because it refers to a person.

The personal A is also used when the direct object is an animal or a personified being:

• Cuidamos a nuestro perro (We take care of our dog). We use "a" because the dog is a living animal.
• Admiramos a la Libertad (We admire freedom). “Libertad” (freedom) is personified as something tangible, so "a" is used.

When the personal A in Spanish is not used

The opposite case can also occur, and the personal A is not necessary. For example, with inanimate objects, with verbs that express possession and when the direct object is an indefinite person. Here are some examples:

• Compré un libro (I bought a book)
• Tengo un gato (I have a cat)
• Busco secretario (I am looking for a secretary)

Below, you will find some examples of the use of the personal A in Spanish:

• Entiendo a Pedro cuando habla (I understand Pedro when he speaks)
• Estoy viendo a mi hija jugar al baloncesto (I am watching my daughter play basketball)
• ¿Recuerdas a tu tío Luis? (Do you remember your uncle Luis?)
• ¿A quién crees que engañas con ese truco? (Who do you think you're fooling with that trick?)
• A nadie le importa (Nobody cares)
• Voy a recoger a Bea del aeropuerto (I'm going to pick Bea up from the airport)
• Mi madre saca a pasear a Pluto todos los días (My mother walks Pluto every day)
• Emilia lleva a su perro en el bolso (Emilia carries her dog in her purse)
• Falté a cinco clases de baile (I missed five dance classes)
• Tengo a mis perros en el campo (I have my dogs in the field)

In conclusion, the personal A in Spanish is an important grammatical rule that helps clarify the relationship between the verb and its direct object when it refers to a person, animal, plant or being that is personified. So, if you want to keep moving forward and sound like a native speaker when you speak Spanish, you need to understand the use of this preposition.