A mis papas vs mis papas??

Question

Fluencia L2U8L1 gives the correct answer as: "Pero a mis papás les gusta el teatro."

Why do I have to use the "a"? What's wrong with, "Pero mis papás les gusta el teatro."

Welcome to the forum , we want to help you so fill out your profile If you have a problem PM a mod Bienvenido al foro. Queremos ayudarle, entonces hay que llenar su perfil. Si hay un problema, envíe un mensaje personal (PM) - ray76, Sep 2, 2015

Answer 1

This is the personal a which is used in Spanish when speaking about a specific person or group of people or a pet(and even places that you have an attachment to).

Apart from not being used in English, it just does not translate either. Sometimes you just have to accept what appears to be illogical and this is one of these times.

Ejemplos: Voy a visitar a mis padres. – I’m going to visit (a) my parents. (Specific people)
Pilar no se puede encontrar a su perro. – Pilar can’t find her dog (specific dog)

Veo a mi amigo Pablo. – (specific person)
Podría invitar a Carlos y Marta a la fiesta.
Me gusta la musíca clásica pero a mi mujer no.

Exceptions to the specific rule are when you use everybody and nobody:

Busco a todo. No veo a nadie.

To add a bit of clarification- this applies to objects, not subjects- and in the sentence in question, el teatro is the subject, mis papás is the indirect object. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 1, 2015