Why use "a" when you say odio "a" los caramelos

Question

Is this what they call the personal A? I know that you can use the personal A for personifying something. is this why it is used here?

If this is not the case, could someone please link me or explain me why it is used as I notice it is really common and it is hard to build sentences in spanish without it.

Thanks.

EDIT: ok thanks to everyones comments. I get it now. This wasn't a reliable source first of all and now I understand that you have to refer to a specific sweet if you want to say you hate them.

So my new sentence is

odio a los caramelos de fresa

Answer 1

I don't think you should use the "a" here was it in a book or a reliable source? If you were referring to a specific caramel you hated you would say "odio los caramelos de..." The "a" known also as la "a" acusativa is used when the direct object is a person

That´s absolutely right. You can say "Odio a las personas", "Odio a los perros" or "Odio los tallarines", "Odio los caramelos". - TaniaSalazar, Nov 17, 2010

Answer 2

In what context is that phrase being used? The addition of the "a" makes the phrase refer to specific caramelos.

Odio los caramelos. - General statement Odio a los caramelos. - Could be said referring to a specific, notable type of caramelos.

If it's not used referring to a specific caramelo, then I have no idea - that's weird!

So is it ok to say.. Odio a los caramelos con chocolate... ? as you are refering to a specific type of sweets. - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

Yes - Seb79, Nov 17, 2010

cool, thank you - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

Answer 3

You would only use the personal a in this case if you were referring to a group of people named Caramelo.

Very good point. - Eddy, Nov 17, 2010

Oh how good, i get it - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

Answer 4

This is from our rreference section.

Personal a

This from another site.

Personal a

Answer 5

Dewclaw, you have had some good answers here but I think you should reaccess your previous post about "what does it taste like".

Answer 6

The Personal 'a'

The basic rule is a simple one: the a precedes the mention of a specific person or persons used as a direct object, and (except in some rare cases where it's used for clarification) it is not used in other cases.

Levantó la taza, he lifted the cup.

Levantó a la muchacha , he lifted the girl.

Oigo la orquesta, I hear the orchestra.

Oigo a los músicos, I hear the musicians.

Recuerdo el libro, I remember the book.

Recuerdo a mi abuela, I remember my grandmother.

The a is not used if the object doesn't refer to anyone specific.

Conozco a dos carpinteros, I know two carpenters.

But, necesito dos carpinteros, I need two carpenters.

I know that rule thank you, but why is it used in my example?? Odio a los caramelos - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

It shouldn´t be there - 005faa61, Nov 17, 2010

Can say Levantó a la taza, la que tenía chocolate caliente (as you are refering to a specific cup) - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

To clarify, just in case someone stumbles upon this and doesn't quite understand... the necesito dos carpinteros refers to the general notion of any two carpenters whilst conozco a dos carpinteros refers to two people that you have knowledge of. - Seb79, Nov 17, 2010

Answer 7

Maybe it is relating to a specific type of caramelos. I notice that before you used bonbons?

yup, but i changed it, - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010

Oh it is starting to make sense. so if I am refering to something specific even if it isn't a person I can put "A" - dewclaw, Nov 17, 2010