G A M E The Spanish 'a' and its many uses

Question

I see lots of questions about the Spanish 'a' and why it's needed so I thought that a game might be a good way to learn more about it and give everyone a chance to practice.

How To Play:

1. Click 'newest'.

2. Cut and paste the sentences provided by the last player and say why you think the 'a' is needed.

3. Write your own sentence in Spanish and English for the next person, making sure that the Spanish version includes the word 'a' in any of its many roles.

4. Feel free to post a pic :D

If you're not sure when to use the preposition 'a' or why it might be needed then this FREE E-BOOK may help.

I'll get us started ...

Given sentences:

Vi a mi mamá.

I saw my mum.

Reason:

The 'a' here is the so-called personal 'a' which is needed when introducing a known person as the direct object of a sentence.

New sentence.

Voy al centro.

I'm going to town.

A great way to learn! Thanks, Kiwi-Girl! - sara4ever, Jul 26, 2014

Great Idea, Kiwi, as usual lol :) - FELIZ77, Jul 26, 2014

Really useful, Kiwi, it's one of these very confusing aspects of Spanish. - annierats, Jul 26, 2014

Great game! Wish I knew enough to play it. Reading the posts will be enlightening. - AnnRon, Jul 26, 2014

Thanks guys :). Come on Ann you can do it. Use the book link above to learn more about it if you need to :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 27, 2014

Thanks for posting this one, Kiwi. :):) - rac1, Jul 27, 2014

Nice book Marie-Claire. - katydew, Jul 28, 2014

Thanks Katy :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 28, 2014

Really good game Kiwi, I love games that I can't quite do, then I learn. Or I hope i do! - annierats, Jul 29, 2014

That's the idea Annie, you're doing really well :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 29, 2014

Answer 1

KiwiGirl´s sentence:

Juan le dio su abrigo a Laura

The a here indicates the recipient of the direct object (abrigo). This would be the same argumente as a indicating the indirect object (Laura).

New sentence:

A que no sabes lo que estoy pensando.

I bet you don´t know what I´m thinking.

Well done, yes 'a' to introduce the indirect object. And well done posting a tricky one to follow :). That's great, I may have to add it too my ebook, gracias! - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 27, 2014

Julian, could you also say: Apuesto que no sabes lo que estoy pensando , please ? - FELIZ77, Jul 28, 2014

Great sentence , Julian :) I'm going to add this to my vocabulary lol :) - FELIZ77, Jul 28, 2014

Por cierto, me voy a ir de vacaciones a España el miércoles que viene ...de 30 de julio hasta el 10 de agosto :) - FELIZ77, Jul 28, 2014

Or would it be Apuesto a que etc...... as Kiwi says ? :) - FELIZ77, Jul 28, 2014

Nice one, Julián. - annierats, Jul 28, 2014

Feliz, when challenging someone directly "apostar" is transitive so we say, ie: "Te apuesto que ......." "Te apuesto A que" is probably regional. In Mexico we don´t say it with "A" - 005faa61, Jul 28, 2014

Ok - I've found the answer from RAE :) 23. prep. Precede a la conjunción que en fórmulas interrogativas con una idea implícita de apuesta o desafío. ¡A que no te atreves! - Kiwi-Girl, Aug 1, 2014

Answer 2

Voy al centro. (a + el = al. [to the] This is called the contraction of the article)

= I'm going to town.

The a is used to indicate direction in this sentence. The verb construction: ir a always includes the a. This differs from the personal a used when talking about visiting the house of someone like your grandmother, for example: Fui a visitar a mi abuela, ayer. = I went to visit my grandmother, yesterday. The personal a is used when referring to people or family pets.

New sentence: Quiero aprender a hablar español.

I want to learn to speak Spanish.

:-) - sara4ever, Jul 26, 2014

Thanks, Sara4ever :) - FELIZ77, Jul 26, 2014

Great job Feliz :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 26, 2014

Thanks, Kiwi :) - FELIZ77, Jul 26, 2014

Answer 3

Given sentence:

El ñandú pateó al caballo. / The rhea kicked the horse.

Reason:

Now this is an interesting one. Because Spanish sentence order is much more flexible than English the a serves an important role here in that it identifies who is kicking who. The a signals the recipient of the action.

This seems to happen when there are two nouns in one sentence, one being the subject and the other the object.

New Sentence:

Juan le dio su abrigo a Laura.

John gave his coat to Laura.

Answer 4

A orillas del río Piedra me senté y lloré.

The "a" is used to indicate position in Kiwi-Girl's sentence.

New sentence: El ñandú pateó al caballo. / The rhea kicked the horse.

woo hoo, well done Ann - that's wasn't too hard was it :) great job - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 27, 2014

Your link was a great help. :>) - AnnRon, Jul 27, 2014

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 28, 2014

Answer 5

Given sentence: Amo a Italia, su paísajes me encantan.

Reason: Usually, you don't need the ' a' with places, but if you want to stress something, you put the 'a' in, such as ' Siempre he querido visitar a Roma'.

First sentence: Vamos a buscar a un albanil honrado, sea lo que sea. ( We're going o find an honest builder, whatever might happen)

Annie, I hope you don't mind me editing your post and suggesting a different sentence but when you're looking for an unknown person who may or may not exist you won't use the personal 'a'.

Edit ... New Sentence

Conozco a un albañil honrado.

I know an honest builder.

Yes, so the 'a' with Italia serves to highlight a personal attachment, it's as if you're personalizing the country. We do it in English too when we say 'her' landscapes rather than its. :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 26, 2014

Ah yes so we do, Kiwi :) I never thought much about it but you are right of course! :) - FELIZ77, Jul 26, 2014

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 27, 2014

Hi Annie. - katydew, Jul 28, 2014

Thanks Kiwi, you're right, as usual. - annierats, Jul 28, 2014

Answer 6

Given Sentence:

Conozco a un albañil honrado.

I know an honest builder.

Reason:

This again is the (so-called) personal 'a' that introduces a known person as the direct object of a sentence.

New Sentence: (a book title)

A orillas del río Piedra me senté y lloré.

"Conozco a un albañil honesto" :) - 003e54f5, Jul 27, 2014

Ayayay what was I thinking lol? i was obviously thinking too much about the 'a' and not enough about the verb jeje thanks pablo :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 27, 2014

Answer 7

Given sentence:

Quiero aprender a hablar español.

I want to learn to speak Spanish.

Reason:

The 'a' in Feliz's sentence is there to connect a verb to a following infinitive. This is not always necessary but is common with verbs that describe the start of an action, the purpose of an action or for verbs that have to do with learning or achieving something.

New Sentence:

Amo a Italia, sus paisajes me encantan.

I love Italy, her landscapes enchant me.

Answer 8

Annie´s sentence:

Toca a ti a pagar. (It's your tun to pay)

"a ti" indicates an indirect object (however, it should be "A ti, te toca pagar" or "te toca pagar")

"a pagar" in this case is not necessary, so just "pagar" without "a".

New sentence - Another "tricky" one:

¿Me puedes cambiar un billete de a veinte? (Can you change me a twenty peso note?)

This might be regional to Mexico and I have no idea why it is spoken this way, but we can also say it without "a" ("un billete de veinte pesos").

Thanks Julian, I will remove the extra ' a' at once. - annierats, Jul 28, 2014

I left the rest of the faults, Julian, so that people can benefit, if they are interested. - annierats, Jul 29, 2014

Answer 9

Given: ¿Me puedes cambiar un billete de a veinte?

Reason: Well, typical Spanish, I have no idea. I hope Kiwi can illuminate.

New sentence: No tengo a nadie con quien hablar. ( I have nobody to talk to).

"con quien hablar".............. ja ja! I too am waiting for Kiwi´s illumination - 005faa61, Jul 28, 2014

see post below ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 29, 2014

Ok, julian, I will change ' que ' for ' quien', thank you for helping, I'm doing this rather fast, so I need help. - annierats, Jul 29, 2014

Answer 10

Given sentence:

A que no sabes lo que estoy pensando.

I bet you don´t know what I´m thinking.

Reason:

This was a tricky one but as far as I understand this phrase is short for ... 'Apuesto a que ...' I bet that ....

New sentence:

¿Dices que me vio a mí en el teatro?

Are you saying that you saw me in the theatre?

Lol interesting pcture: funny yet sinister at the same time :) - FELIZ77, Jul 28, 2014

Answer 11

Kiwi, you've forgotten to put up a new one.

I'll do a straightforward one:

New: Pedro, ¿ a que te reffieres?

Annie ¿a qué te refieres? :D - 003e54f5, Jul 31, 2014

Gracias, Pablo, que suerte que tengo a ti para hacer correciones.. - annierats, Jul 31, 2014

Thanks Annie :) - Kiwi-Girl, Aug 2, 2014

Answer 12

Update

Given: ¿Me puedes cambiar un billete de a veinte?

Ok, after much investigation it seems that ...

Un billete de veinte means 'a twenty dollar note

whereas

Un billete de a veinte means 'a note worth twenty dollars.

Not a lot of difference but still slightly different

Kiwi hi ¿no es 'Me podes cambiar 'a' un billete de veinte'? 'biillete de a 20' suena raro pero voy a investigar en que país lo dicen. - 003e54f5, Jul 31, 2014

No encontré nada sobre Un billete de a "x valor" sea una nota por "x valor en dolares" pero creo que no importa ya :) - 003e54f5, Jul 31, 2014

gracias Pablo por supuesto importa, me interesa mucho - yo tampoco he hallado referencia a esto en un libro per se pero un numero de hispanohablantes me han dicho que sí es una construcción válida. - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 31, 2014

Then I am the only one who didn't find sense in this at all ;) - 003e54f5, Aug 1, 2014

lol oh pobrecito :( pero gracias por intentar - Kiwi-Girl, Aug 1, 2014

Answer 13

Given Sentence: No tengo a nadie con que hablar. ( I have nobody to talk to).

Reason: Certain pronouns such as nadie, alguien etc always require the preposition a when they are the direct object of a sentence (the main exception to the rule about known people).

New Sentence:

Le compro un helado a Pablo.

I'm buying an ice-cream from Paul.

This is a use I've always found very confusing, but I will let some other people have a go. - annierats, Jul 29, 2014

This is one of the easiest ones Annie. Whenever you have a sentence with two people exchanging something you need to put an a before the indirect object. Person doing the exchanging (giving, buying whatever) = subject! item being exchanged (bought, sold - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 31, 2014

Given, etc) is the direct object -that means there's only one other person left and they are the indirect object and need the 'a'. Clear as mud? Jeje - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 31, 2014

Yes, excellent explanation, I had just never realized that before. Thanks. I knew you say it for buying 'from' but had not understood why. - annierats, Jul 31, 2014

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Aug 1, 2014

Answer 14

Given: ¿Me puedes cambiar un billete de a veinte?

Reason: Well, typical Spanish, I have no idea. I hope Kiwi can illuminate. - Annierats

ja ja! I too am waiting for Kiwi´s illumination - JulianChivi

Well .... I know that the 'a' can be used to express prices (see pg 37 of my book)

eg. Venderá el cerdo a mil bolívares. I will sell the pig for one thousand bolivares.

This isn't exactly the case here so I'm not sure that it's necessary but that is the closest I can come to as a reason for the 'a' in Julian's example.

If anyone can add anything I'd be as interested as the next person jeje

Maybe it's just asort of extra addon, because i'm sure you can be understood without it? Just an extra for natives? - annierats, Jul 29, 2014

Answer 15

Given: ¿A qué te refieres?

Reason: Here the a simply means 'to' but because Spanish sentences can't end with a preposition 'what are you referring to? must become ¿to what are you referring?.

New Sentence: ¿A que no lo sabes?