Am I using "vi" correctly in this sentence?

Question

Ayer vi mi amigo Omar en su casa y nosotros jugamos a videojuegos.

I'm a little confused as to whether I need to add an "a" between the vi and mi, like so:

Ayer vi a mi amigo Omar en su casa y nosotros jugamos a videojuegos.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes, is a necessary complement.

Vi a mi amigo. Fui a comprar.

Answer 2

In the Spanish textbooks used in the USA a rule states that whenever the direct object of a verb is a person word or a name, you need to insert what is called the "personal a".

Some examples:

Espero el autobús. This is not a person, no personal "a" needed.

Espero a Felipe. Felipe is obviously a person. The personal "a" is needed.

Los estudiantes esperan a la profesora. The profesora is also a person, therefore the "a"

Watch this. Los estudiantes esperan al profesor. This is where a+el contracts to "al"

There are a few exceptions to this rule, but we can deal with those later when it comes up.

Buena suerte.

Great answer. Voting - sanlee, Dec 3, 2014

Buena respuesta. - Gex-Thunderstrom, Dec 3, 2014

Answer 3

Ayer vi mi amigo Omar en su casa y nosotros jugamos a videojuegos

vi a mi amigo y jugamos videojuegos

this is not correct, the correct one was "vi a mi amigo y jugamos a videojuegos" - klarensan, Dec 3, 2014

The "play" verb is maybe one of the exceptions of this rule - klarensan, Dec 3, 2014

You always need to use "jugar a algo", you can not say "jugar algo". - klarensan, Dec 3, 2014