indirect object pronoun...

Question

following the rules listed under indirect object pronouns... If I were to say "I have some contracts for you" would it be correct to say it in either of the two ways:

Yo te tengo unos contratos. AND/OR Yo te tengo unos contratos para ti.

The reason I ask, is I was told it would just be simply: Tengo contratos para ti. (Is that because that is a more conversational way to say the same thing, but not grammatically correct?) Please advise. Thanks!

• copied from grammar sect.: If there is an indirect object in a sentence, there MUST be an indirect object pronoun! You can also have the prepositional phrase "para nosotros" or "a Miguel" to add emphasis, but you can NOT only have the prepositional phrase - frances13 Oct 20, 2009
• What about the above grammar rule that I copied from the grammar section under indirect object pronouns... would it not apply to my sentence? - frances13 Oct 20, 2009

Answer 1

Hi Frances. Welcome to the forum.

"Tengo unos contratos para ti" is correct.

Answer 2

It might sound a little smoother to not use the prepositional phrase here, but rather to use the actual indirect object pronoun. Familiar: "Te tengo unos contractos" Formal: "Le tengo unos contractos". Unless you are talking to a good friend, in a business environment the formal "le" would be the preferred use.

Answer 3

ADDITIONAL QUESTION... I will use the "Le tengo unos contractos" sentence you suggested because it's in a business setting... But just curious, even though it doesn't sound as smooth, is it incorrect to add the "para" phrase. And if not incorrect, if you did add the prepositional phrase, is it still "para ti" whether informal or formal? Thanks

• Don't add the "para" phrase to a "le"; that would be incorrect grammar. If you want to say "le tengo unos contractos a Ud." , that would be fine. OR "Tengo unos contractos para Ud." - mountaingirl Oct 20, 2009
• So are you saying that "para ti" is for informal only... and use "para usted" for formal "Le tengo unos contratos para usted" (AIso noticed you took the "le" off on 2nd sentence. grammar rule states indirect obj pronoun must always be used. Is it true? - frances13 Oct 20, 2009