Can someone explain the error in this sentence?

Question

I just completed lesson 2.3 Direct and Indirect Pronouns. The Speak section had this sentence and I had to fix the error. I don't understand why this:

Stefaní da un reloj a mí. ----> Stefaní me da un reloj.

Can someone please explain the difference. Thanks!

Answer 1

Stefaní da un reloj a mí. ----> Stefaní me da un reloj

The explanation is very simple, the verb 'da' in this sentence has two objects, un reloj is the direct object. Mí is the indirect object.

There's a rule in Spanish that says, whenever there's an indirect object, there must be an indirect object pronoun.

Stefaní me da un reloj or Stefaní me da un reloj a mí.

Stefaní da un reloj a mí, is incorrect, why? See the rule above.

Answer 2

Thanks a million guys! I definitely understand now!!

Answer 3

Stefaní da un reloj a mí. ----> Stefaní me da un reloj.

As you stated the 1st version is incorrect. You also could have corrected it as:

Stefaní me da un reloj a mí.

The i.o.p. me is required. The "a mí" is optional.

1. Duplicación de complementos: coaparición del clítico y el complemento tónico. En español, los pronombres átonos aparecen a menudo dentro de la misma oración junto con el complemento tónico al que se refieren: Me dijo a mí que me callara; Lo sabe todo. La duplicación del complemento indirecto a través del pronombre átono es siempre posible y, en algunos casos, obligatoria, mientras que la del complemento directo está sujeta a muchas más restricciones. En el español general culto la coaparición del pronombre átono y el complemento tónico responde a las pautas siguientes:

5.1. Si el complemento tónico es también un pronombre personal, la coaparición del pronombre átono es obligatoria, tanto si el complemento es directo como indirecto: Me castigaron a mí; A ti te dieron el premio (no *Castigaron a mí; *A ti dieron el premio). Aunque son posibles, en estos casos, oraciones idénticas sin el complemento tónico (Me castigaron; Te dieron el premio), existen diferencias expresivas de importancia entre ambas posibilidades: la presencia del complemento tónico denota un propósito de contraste o discriminación, ausente de la oración en la que solo aparece el pronombre átono; así, en Me castigaron a mí, frente a Me castigaron, se subraya el hecho de que ha sido solo a mí, y no a otros igualmente merecedores de ello o más culpables que yo, a quien se ha castigado.

All the above says is that since the a mí (complemento tónico) contains a personal pronoun that there must also be a me (complemento átono). This is required whether the a mí is an indirect or direct object.

In the lesson, though, it was teaching you to always use an i.o.p. when the sentence has an i.o.

Answer 4

Stefani gives a watch to me ----> Stefani gives me a watch

Answer 5

Hi Mpaez-

Welcome to the forum. Lesson 2.3 tries to simply present a complex issue, and in my opinion, it falls short.

"Stefani da un reloj a mi" isn't even a proper Spanish sentence. It's more of an English sentence made with Spanish words- i.e., it's the way we would say it in English. Paralee said it to help you make the transition, and maybe wasn't real clear.

"Stefani me da un reloj" is the way it would be said in Spanish. It is, in essence, exactly the same thing as "Stefani da un reloj a mi"- if such a sentence existed.

Stefani gives the watch to me

The use of pronouns is so essential to Spanish, the importance can't be overstated You must get this concept, and you ought to spend a lot of time with it until you thoroughly understand it and have mastered it.

I highly recommend a workbook like Dorothy Richmond's "Practice Makes Perfect- Spanish Pronouns and Prepositions"

Poor mpaez will give up directly! There are 16.000 of us students who are totally hazy about pronouns. - annierats, Nov 7, 2011