Transitive verbs - compound sentence

Question

Can you help me with the grammatical semantics of the following sentence please? 'Sentir' is being used transitively but I am unsure which word is the direct object. I was assuming 'oír' but isn't that direct object of 'poder'? Compound sentences confuse me!

¿Siente usted que no puede oír bien?
Do you feel that you cannot hear well?

I don't think the following sentence is correct. Because 'los brazos' is a direct object, I don't think we need the pronomincal 'se'. Please confirm

¿Se siente los brazos?
Do you feel your arms?

(By the way these sentences were taken from a different Spanish learning website)

Como siempre, gracias de antemano mis amigos.

God almighty, Billy, you've had too much to drink if you can't feel your arms any longer... - annierats, Oct 26, 2011

lol, at least I can't put my hand in my pocket - well that's what my mates are always telling me ;-) - billygoat, Oct 26, 2011

Answer 1

Sentir' is being used transitively but I am unsure which word is the direct object.

The direct object answers the question what.

Do you feel what? Oír???

What you feel is...que no puede oír bien. (noun clause)= the d.o.

In the 2nd sentence the d.o. is obviously los brazos whether the pronominal or non-pronominal verb is used.

This viewpoint might interest you.

When the reflexive verb takes two objects, the reflexive pronoun may have the force of an indirect object pronoun.

• Me quito el sombrero. I take off my hat.
• Se ponen los guantes. They are putting on their gloves.
• Debes ponerte el sobretodo. You must put on your overcoat.

¿Se siente los brazos?

So the accusative object is los brazos while the dative object (remember the dative of interest from "se me olvidaron las llaves"?) is the se part of sentirse.

In "se me ovidaron las llaves" the dative of interest is an i.o.p. which is why it is being said that the reflexive pronoun may have the force of an indirect object pronoun.

I thought coats were abrigos? - annierats, Oct 26, 2011

Thank you Qfreed. As somebody who has never studied English grammar, it is taking me time to fully digest all the Spanish grammatical structures. I'm still hanging in there though lol! - billygoat, Oct 26, 2011

Yes, abrigo means coat. Overcoat is usually a longer, heavier coat. - 0074b507, Oct 26, 2011

Answer 2

"¿Siente usted que no oye bien?" "Poder" is not necessary.

"¿Se siente los brazos?" "Can you feel your arms? Are they there?" "¿Siente los brazos?" "Can you feel your arms? Can you touch one with the other?"

oh I see! Thank you so much! - billygoat, Oct 26, 2011

Answer 3

In all honesty, the sentence:

¿Se siente los brazos?

makes no sense at all to me.

¿Se siente cómodo?

¿Se siente bien?

¿Se siente enfermo?

¿Siente los brazos?

do.

gracias cogu. I'm determined to get to the bottom of these structures! - billygoat, Oct 26, 2011

I think that it means can you feel your arms as in do you have sensation in your arms? or are they numb, paralyzed. Rather than can you touch your arms. Just a guess given the reply that was made. - 0074b507, Oct 26, 2011