1. Personal a Grammar essential #39

2. Personal a  Personal a does not exist in English.  It is not hard to use or to understand the rules of how to use it.  The hard part is remembering to use a personal a because it does not occur in translation.

3. Personal a  Personal a is used in front of any direct object that is a person or a domesticated pet (dog or cat).  I read the book.  Direct object is book, is it a person or a pet?  NO!!! Yo leo el libro.  I see María.  Direct object is María, is it a person or a pet?  YES!!! Yo veo a María.

4. Personal a  You have to have an object in order to have a personal a.  In order to have an object, the verb has to be an action verb (opposed to a linking verb).  If you don’t have an action verb, you will not have a personal a.

5. Personal a  Personal a will never follow any forms of the verbs tener, estar, and ser.  If it has any of the 3 conjugated, there will not be a personal a.

6. Personal a  Examples They watch the children. Ellos miran a los niños. I see him in the park. Yo veo a él en el parque. I have the dog. Yo tengo el perro. I teach the boy. Yo enseño al niño.