Servirle???

Question

I am very confused. My textbook gave me the phrase "¿En qué puedo servirle?" as "How can I help you?". I guess that le of servir is on the end because the word puedo is there. However, I also saw phrases like "te va a decir". So why is the le on the end of the word instead of "¿En qué le puedo servir?"? Is either an option? If not, what makes the 2 phrases so different?

Answer 1

In the imperative affirmative, infinitive and gerund the personal pronoun follows the verb and is attached to it. It is not totally incorrect to put the pronouns before the verb .

The position is optional with the infinitive and the gerund. It is not optional with the affirmative command. In that instance the pronoun must follow the verb. With the negative command it precedes the verb.

Answer 2

It's shortened from ¿En qué puedo servirle a usted? - How can I help you? The le is an object pronoun referring to usted.

Yes, sometimes the position of the pronoun is optional.

Te va a decir - He/she is going to tell you

Va a decirte - He/she is going to tell you

¿En que puedo servirle? is just a very common phrase that's always said just that way.

If the position is sometimes optional, then when is it and when is it not? - kokolatte, Aug 10, 2010

I guess it's technically always optional, but there are some phrases that are always said one particular way. - KevinB, Aug 10, 2010

Thank you! - kokolatte, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 3

Kevin B is perfectly correct and the shop assistant would use 'a usted' (le being its personal pronoun) because they would be expected to show politeness. As an informal enquiry the assistant would say ¿En qué puedo servirte (a ti)? This, to my knowledge, is not usual.

In constructions other than the imperative affirmative, infinitive or the gerund, the pronoun comes before the verb. eg ¿Qué te pedían? What were they asking you for?

In the imperative affirmative, infinitive and gerund the personal pronoun follows the verb and is attached to it. It is not totally incorrect to put the pronouns before the verb but the phrase does not flow so smoothly and my spanish professors tell me that it sounds 'muy extraño´.

I know there is more to the subject but I´ve tried to keep it concise.

Any comments from members whose native tongue is spanish would be welcomed

Thank you! - kokolatte, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 4

"How can I help you?" = ¿ En que puedo ayudarle ? or ¿Cómo puedo ayudarle?

¿En que puedo servirle? is other possibility, and is most normal when you received help for private personal ( hotel, bar, stores)