Es normal que le temas a lo que no conoces...

Question

What is the use of the 'Le' before 'Temas'? I understand what it means: Its normal that you fear that which you dont know', but the I.D O.Pronoun is putting me off...

Gracias por tu respuesta.

Answer 1

It looks like another instance of where one is using the intransitive verb where normally one would use the verb transitively.

So rather than being you fear xxxx, they are saying to you fear is caused by xxxxx .

look at this statement in the dictionary under temer

intransitive

le teme mucho al fuego -> she's very afraid of fire

...le temas a lo que no conoces

See the pattern?

In English it would be the difference in saying she fears fire and she is afraid of fire. In the first one the verbs action is received by the object (transitive); in the second one the object serves as the subject and the subject becomes the object (reciever) of the verb (passive voice.)

Oops! faulty explanation. And I can't flag my own reply. Thanks, Jeezle, for pointing out what I overlooked.

I think your explanation makes perfect sense, especially when you explained the difference in Eng. to fear something vs. to be afraid of something. I was thinking along the same line already, but it was nice to have such a clear explanation to confirm it - sagiia, Aug 5, 2010

Answer 2

I understand the difference between transitive and intransitive uses of verbs, but in the construction "se me olvidó" se and olvidó are connected. It forgets itself to me = I forgot (through no direct fault of my own, thus limiting any blame to myself) and se me perdió, se and perdió are connected in the same way, limiting blame and yet being "it loses itself to me = I lose it and have less blame than saying perdí" but with the sentence "Es normal que le temas a lo que no conoces..." le and temer don't seem connected in that way because temas is in the tu form indicating "you" as in "It's normal that you fear what you don't understand" and the le is just sitting there. Does it mean "you" because temas indicates you. Or does it mean she/one, if so then why does the rest of the sentence indicate "you"? I see the intransitive use, just not the connection with the sentence which uses the tu form.... Gracias.

le teme mucho al fuego -> she's very afraid of fire ..... I understand this. Le teme makes sense. Le temaS doesn't. Gracias.

You're absolutely correct. I overlooked the temas. (it must be subjunctive-not le teme) - 0074b507, Aug 5, 2010

Answer 3

I'm afraid I don't understand it unless le means it in that sentence.

This appears to be the most common way to say the phrase, according to google, so I am interested in understanding the le myself. If it does mean "it" then I wonder why it doesn't say "lo" instead of "le". But I would want to say "Es normal temer a lo que no se conoce". Or even "Es normal que temas a lo que no conoces". Curious, I'd like to see more explanations.

It another use of where the i.o.p. says who if effected by the action of the verb Se me olvidó .... Se me perdió ...I (me) am the one that forgot/lost - 0074b507, Aug 5, 2010

It must be le; not lo. It must be an i.o.p. You are trying to word it transitively, also. That may be possible. I was just trying to tell him about the intransitive form that was used. - 0074b507, Aug 5, 2010

le=she; not it - 0074b507, Aug 5, 2010

but how can le be she when the sentence then uses tu form, as if you saying "you". Es normal que LE temaS a lo que no conoceS. That's what I don't understand. - jeezzle, Aug 5, 2010

Jeezle, I am still hoping you will post a link to that hiphop song you were working on the lyrics for. I'd really like to hear it. - sagiia, Aug 5, 2010

I will send you a link in a message. - jeezzle, Aug 5, 2010

Sorry about the le=she. I was thinking of the other sentence. And I see your point..it does look transitive. Forget my answer. I didn't look at it closely enough. - 0074b507, Aug 5, 2010