Direct Object
What is the exact translation of this sentence in english? "Quiero probarle a mis criticos"
Is it "I want to prove to my critcs" or "I want to prove it to my critics"? And also, is the le in the word probarle a Direct Object? Thank you in advance
4 Answers
You can make guesses if the sentence is incomplete or in error, but as written if it is a grammatically correct sentence then it must mean:
I want to demonstrate/prove or whatever my clients to him/her.
a mis criticos cannot be a clarification tag whether le is a d.o.p or i.o.p. as it would have to be les as Jeezle points out.
if le is a d.o.p.(leísmo) as Debs suggests, then a mis criticos must be an i.o. (we ruled it out as a tag). The sentence would then be missing an redundant i.o.p. and be incorrect.
So le must be an i.o.p. for the sentence to be complete and correct as written (to him/her)
Since a mis criticos can't be a clarification tag it must be the direct object with the personal "a".
I cannot think of a meaning of probar that makes sense unless the le i.o.p. means something other than to him (for him, by him, with him, etc.), but withstanding that, le must be an i.o.p. and mis criticos the d.o. for the sentence to be complete and acceptable as written.
I want to prove him to my critics. If the context is that the person wants to prove the object to his critics, then he is personifying the object. Yes, le is a direct object. 
I'll offer a differing opinion. I think it should be "Quiero probarles a mis criticos". "Quiero probarles a mis criticos que puedo hacerlo" I want to prove to my critics that I can do it. Quiero probarselo. se = les = indirect object. Of course I am still learning so I could be wrong.
I want to test my critic's or I desire to prove it to my critic's I 'm still learning but I think if I say "I want to test my critic's that's not proving to them. someone help me 
