¿Qué le damos de comer? Translated into English means....?

Question

¿Qué le damos de comer?

I know the individual words

qué - what

le - indirect object pronoun meaning (to) him, (to) her, (for) you; depending on the context

damos - we give

Question 1: I don't know why "de" is used, it's a preposition.

comer - to eat

My attempt:

Question 2: If the context is a male; then this means: What do we give him to eat?

Question 3: Does the "de" have something to do with the "to eat"? Gracias!

Answer 1

dar de comer is a periphrasis used to say: to feed used with animals.

¿Qué le damos de comer?

What do we feed it? him (however that you address or personify your pet)

according to this discussion it is used with people also

Answer 2

dar de comer is to feed. So it means what are we going to feed him/her

I'm just asking Bella, with the use of dar meaning to give, how does the concept of give work with the verb "to feed"? Is it just implied like when you feed a baby food, you are giving it to him? Gracias, Bella or anyone - bandit51jd, Jun 8, 2011

if you are feeding someone you are giving someone food, whether you put it their mouths or not. - BellaMargarita, Jun 9, 2011

Answer 3

Alternately, What do we feed it?

Answer 4

I think that algo para comer and algo de comer are both acceptable ways to say 'something to eat'

So, the structure of and the placement of him, as the direct object pronoun is correct? - bandit51jd, Jun 8, 2011

Answer 5

It means "What are we going to feed to him." You put "de" in a phrase that is translated "something to..." like "something to eat," "algo de comer."

Answer 6

If I am following "dar de comer" is a phrase that means - to feed. And can refer to either people or animals.

My fault, I should have included the context as people are giving food to a male to eat, not an animal, sorry. And I am practicing the verb dar - strictly meaning - to give and indirect objects.