On the right track? Direct & Indirect Object Prounouns

Question

¿Quién te regaló algo bonito? ¿Quién fue, y qué te regaló? These are the questions I need answered. Am I right in my thinking that these translate to: Who gave you something pretty? Who gave it to you and what did they give?

If my answer is the following, is it right/wrong: Me lo regaló mi mamá.

Thanks for any help! DO and IDO's are so difficult for me to understand!

Answer 1

"Regalar" is to give (a gift)

¿Quién te regaló algo bonito? - Who gave you something nice/beautiful/pretty etc.?

¿Quién fue, y qué te regaló? - Who was it and what did he/she give you?

Me lo regaló mi mamá. - My mother gave it to me. (lo = a masculine "thing")

That's fine but you don't say what "it" is.

"DO and IDO's are so difficult for me to understand!"

They are for all of us , Sylvo - you're not alone! A trick that I use is to translate word for word

To me - it - she gave - my mother

Yeah - that sounds horrible in English but at least my mind can make sense of the grammar that way

Let us know what you think

Saludos

Answer 2

Hello again, Sylvo

"Me lo un anillo regaló mi mamá

Well I'm almost certain this is wrong but I can't explain why. I'm not a grammar expert

If it's a feminine "it" I need to change "lo" to "la"

Yes. I think that's right. For example, your mother gave you a pen (una pluma - feminine)

"Mi mamá me regaló una pluma" - My mother gave me a pen. "Me la regaló mi mamá" - My mother gave it to me. "Me las regaló mi mamá" - My mother gave them to me [the pens]

I need to practise this as much as you, though Sylvo. So if you can think of any more examples please post them.

Cheers

For someone who is not a "grammar expert" that was a pretty good explanation. - samdie, Mar 4, 2010

Answer 3

Thank you, Patch! Very, very helpful. It's those little tricks especially that help me get through a lot of this.

So in these sentences I need to name what the "it" is - a noun. If it's a feminine "it" I need to change "lo" to "la". So where do I place that noun? For instance if that "algo bonita" thing that she gave me were a ring how would I say that?

Perhaps: "Me lo un anillo regaló mi mamá." ?? Right or wrong? Gosh, I'm probably over thinking like crazy here.

Thanks so much for your help!

Answer 4

"Me lo un anillo regaló mi mamá."

This doesn't work. the "lo" is a pronoun (and the function of pronouns is to stand "in place" of nouns). Your sentence has both the pronoun and the noun that the pronoun should be replacing. Thus, "Me regaló un anillo mi mamá." or "Me lo regaló mi mamá." You could also move "mi mamá" to the beginning of the sentence without affecting the basic meaning (though it changes the emphasis).

ahh very good and helpful! Thak you! - Sylvo, Mar 8, 2010