1. The personal “a”

2. Elements of Spanish Sentences  Spanish sentences, like English ones contain a subject, a verb and an object.  Yo escucho la radio  SVO   Mi amigo come papas fritas.  Tomamos vino por la mañana.

3. La “a” personal  The personal “a” is used when the object of a Spanish sentence is a person or persons. There is no equivalent in English.  Llamo a mi amiga.  Invitamos a Celia a la fiesta.  Juana escribe una carta a Juanita.

4. Common Verbs where people can be objects.  LlamarTo call (someone)  LlevarTo take (someone somewhere)  InvitarTo invite (someone)  EscribirTo write (someone something)  ConocerTo know (someone)  VerTo see (someone)  AmarTo love (someone)  HablarTo talk (to someone)*  Mandar/enviarTo send (someone something)  DarTo give (someone something)

5. The personal a is not used…  When the object of the sentence is not human…  Karla lleva los libros a la biblioteca  Karla is taking the books to the library.  Karla lleva a su hermana a la biblioteca.  Karla is taking her sister to the library.

6.  Neither is it used with the verb “tener”  Tengo muchos amigos.  I have many friends  Llevo a mis amigos al cine.  I take my friends to the movies.  Juan tiene cinco novias.  Juan has five girlfriends.  Juan invita a sus novias a comer en McDonalds porque no tiene dinero  Juan invites his girlfriends to eat at McDonalds because he doesn’t have money.

7.  If the objects of the sentence include several individual people, the “a” is placed before each one.  Juan invita a María, a Claudia, a Sofía, a Isabel y a Rosita Chiquita a comer en McDonalds.  Juan invites Maria, Claudia, Sophia, Isabel and Rosita to eat at Mc Donalds.