Te vs Tú Super confused! Don't know why I can't get this.

Question

I read this online: When YOU is the subject of a sentence, or clause, use tú. When you is the receiver of the action, use te. Are you giving a book to me?=¿Tú me das un libro? Yes, I'm giving a book to you.=Sí, te doy un libro.

But I STILL don't get it! (In the last answer, why, not "Si, doy un libro a tú?" Or, "Si, a tú doy un libro?" Can someone explain it without using the terms "direct object pronoun" and the "indirect subject pronoun", even though that's what they are? I think those terms are what's slowing me down, lol. Can I get some examples of why Tú doesn't work?

Sorry for any ignorance here! I think the even bigger problem is when I try to translate sentences like, "No se lo tengo." The literal translation feels awkward and I'm two minutes behind in a conversation if I even try to translate it in my head, lol. ( "No the you/it I have") Help!

Yes, I'm a beginner if you haven't figured that out, yet, loll, so maybe this just comes in time?

Thanks much!

Hello! I wondered that too. It's tricky! So far, what has helped me is just drilling practice exercises. - gigimoney, May 24, 2013

Good question. We beginners all have that same problem. - 0095ca4c, May 24, 2013

I'm glad you ask the question. I was beginning to feel as if I was asking to many questions... - amorie01, May 24, 2013

rogpax's explanation is very thorough and worth reading and thinking about. Many times the answer to a simple question is complex so persevere! - Jubilado, May 24, 2013

Answer 1

In the last answer, why, not "Si, doy un libro a tú?" Or, "Si, a tú doy un libro?"

Hi Faith, and welcome. And yes, it will come in time, for sure, but in the meantime...

Well, if you think about it, you´ve already answered your own question. You posted that Tú is used for subjects, and Te for objects, so you already have the rules down, even if they´re not fully internalized yet.

If I give the book to you, then you is the indirect object (and I the subject and book the direct object) so it has to be te

In English, we have ¨to you¨ to differentiate from simply ¨you¨ but in Spanish, there is no ¨a tú¨ (that I am familiar with) it is, and must be ¨te¨ (or in a few cases, which I´d encourage you not to worry about right away, and just adress and memorize as you run across them ¨a ti¨)

In general, especially if you´re going to use a forum to accelerate your learning, you´ll learn a lot faster if you go ahead and learn some very basic (elementary school) terms like subject and direct object and indirect object, even if they´re not super fun, because those concepts say in one word (once learned) what can take paragraphs otherwise. Still, I´m going to give it a whirl and attempt to make it easier with some examples of first English nouns, then pronouns (words like it or he or him that take the place of nouns) and then some Spanish.

I give the ball to the boy

I = subject, Ball = direct object, boy = indirect object

The subject (I) acts on the direct object (the ball) via the verb (give) towards the indirect object (the boy)

I give the ball to him

This is the same thing, but with the indirect object pronoun ¨him¨ substituting for the boy (oops, I just used ¨indirect object pronoun¨)

OK, so, back to your question.

I give you the book. I is the subject, the direct object is book (the thing you are giving) the indirect object is you (the person being given the object)

Yo te doy el libro.

Yo is the subject (often not called out in Spanish) Libro is the (direct) object being given Te is the person (you) receiving the object (thus, te is the indirect object)

We can not say ¨Yo tú doy el libro¨ because ¨tú¨ even when proceeded by ¨a¨ can not be an object. It can only be used for the subject.

It would sound analogous to we saying in English

¨I give he the book¨ We can´t do that, because he is only used for the subject. For the object, we simply must use him. I give him the book.(him as indirect object) Or I gave him back to his mother (him as direct object)

Now flip it around.

You give me the book

Tú me das el libro.

Now you is ¨tú¨ because it´s the subject, and ¨me¨ is the indirect object (to me)

Note, in this case, the word is ¨me¨, in both languages (how convenient, for once)

In English, we can´t flip them around either. I can´t say.

You give I the book. I have to say You give Me the book.

Same with tú and te.

hth Roger

... more to come ... I´m typing ...

Roger are you sure "you" is not the indirect object and "book" the direct object? - 005faa61, May 24, 2013

Roger - what about "Lo hago por Ti."- "I’m doing it for you." and "Es para Ti" - ian-hill, May 24, 2013

You are of course correct, but I hadn´t yet started differentiating between direct and indirect object, since they´re both ¨te¨ in Spanish, and was only saying object in general, but I will go edit that for clarity - rogspax, May 24, 2013

Ian, Yes, I can come up with a ton of exceptions with various prepositional phrases such as a ti and por ti and para ti, but was trying to avoid that since she´s still struggling with the basics. I didn´t want to make matters worse ;) - rogspax, May 24, 2013

Thanks Roger. Simply is always the best way to start an explanation. - 0095ca4c, May 24, 2013

Answer 2

Only examples not correct sentencnces. But in a nut shell look at the differances.

Do you want yourself. ¿Te quieres?

Do you want something. ¿Tú quieres?

Answer 3

I think that it's just something that you have to practice getting down over time. It's just one of those weird Spanish phrases that are difficult to translate at first and it just takes time. That goes for your question with why "a tú" doesn't work. That's just not how they say it in Spanish. I mean, you could say that and they'll probably know what you're talking about but it's just not how the Spanish rules are

Once you reach the point of not mentally translating, you will find that there is nothing "weird" about it at all - 005faa61, May 24, 2013

True, and drills and practice will help that along, but in the very early stages, it´s tough to avoid. - rogspax, May 24, 2013

Answer 4

I am a beginner in Spanish, too. I started doing the courses on this site. Spanish 2 lesson 3 will help you with this question. " Parties with Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns" It helped me a little bit, but I am still very lost.