llenar - correct usage of this verb in its reflexive form

Question

"Transparent Language" is a foreign language learning company that sends me a free Spanish word of the day via email. Recently, their word was "llenar", which means "to fill". The accompanying sample sentence they provided was "No me llenes el vaso." and their English translation of this sentence was "Don't fill my glass up." This prompted my question. In my understanding, they are using the reflexive form of the verb, which is, of course, "llenarse", and it means to "stuff oneself". To me, the sample sentence should have been "No lo llenes mi vaso." which would be literally translated "Don't fill it, my glass". I don't understand why the sample sentence that was sent me contained "me" instead of "lo".

Answer 1

It is not using the reflexive. It is using the indirect object pronoun "me", so the literal translation is "Do not fill the glass for me" which is more naturally translated as "Do not fill my glass."

Thank you. I never thought of "me" coming by itself before a verb as meaning "for me" and functioning as an indirect object. This understanding should help me a lot. - Esteban3304, Jun 19, 2011

Answer 2

Expounding

Do not fill my glass - No llene mi vaso

Do not fill the glass for me - No me llene el vaso.

Fill it (the glass) with water - Llénelo con agua.

Fill it (the glass) with water for me - Llénomelo con agua.

As always, use "por favor" in all of those instances. It would be nice.

Great examples! (By the way, I think you meant "llénemelo" in your last example.) - gintar77, Jun 18, 2011