The use of A?
Wy is "A" or "Al" usted in the following sentences. I know a+el=al but why do you need to use either.
A usted, qué le gusta hacer? Al niño le gusta el fútbol A la niña le gusta los caballos A ella le gusta correr.
5 Answers
Hola, scottdoherty:
Well, two days ago in a couple of replies, I forgot to use this "personal 'a' " and I got sent to the dunce corner. In my case, it's because I mostly wrote our reference page about the "personal 'a' ". Have a look at this page ----> Personal "a".
After you read it over, I think you will have a better understanding of your question. However, do not follow my example and fail to use it once you know about it.
Just a minor correction. It is the combination of "a" + "el" that gives rise to the shortened "al". And you seem to have noticed that "a ella" is not shortened in the same way.
Muchos saludos/Best regards,
Moe
You have to use "a" before the name when you are using the verb gustar.
you could write: ¿Qué le gusta hacer? Le gusta el fútbol. le gustan los caballos
but when you want to be more specific you can use the "usted", "el niño", "la niña", or "ella". when you add these you have to put an "a" in front. A usted, qué le gusta hacer? Al niño le gusta el fútbol A la niña le gusta los caballos
If we will take "Al niño le gusta el fútbol." as our example, the more direct English translation of that will be "To the boy, what pleases him is football." That sentence though has the same meaning as "The boy likes football", which is what the "Al niño le gusta el fútbol" should be understood to mean. So the "A" there is the "To" in the direct English translation. Without the "To" the sentence would be grammatically incorrect.
i learnt it as a + el + al. so i go to the cinema would be voy al cine where as i go to the beach would be voy a la playa. al niño le gusta el fútbol is al because the child is masculine so it is a + el and a la nina le gusta fútbol is a la because you don't shorten a and la.
One definition of a=to. In your sentence above you emphatically state "to you, what do you like to do?" The other preposition al=a + el, which means 'to the...' In your sentence you are stating "To the child he likes football" You could also say just 'Le gusta el fútbol' But if you didn't know whom you were talking about it could get confusing as le=he, she, it, or you (formal).
Hope this helps....
