"le contesta su amigo"

Question

What does it mean? Thanks.

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please take a moment and complete your SD profile as it relates to language. Thanks. - rac1, Jun 9, 2016

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum.

Can you add to your profile your language level in English and Spanish? I assume you are advanced or fluent in English and probably a beginner in Spanish. It cannot affect the language used in the answer and the level.

'le' is an indirect object meaning to him/her or it.

You may already have used it when using gustar eg A María le gusta chocolate. Literally to Maria it is pleasing to her chocolate. Mary likes chocolate. Without the addition of A Maria you do not know what or who le is referring to.

I suspect the phrase should be le contesta a su amigo. Do you have more context?

Good answer, Mardle. I was thinking the same thing about the need for the personal 'a' when I read the sentence! ;) - FELIZ77, Jun 9, 2016

Thx. Yeah I'm beginner in spanish (10 days) - DeepMind, Jun 10, 2016

Can you add it to your profile? If you ask or answer another question it is on your profile. Pronouns can be difficult because Spanish sentences are long and there is something called a personal a when referring to a person and sometimes a pet. - Mardle, Jun 10, 2016

Answer 2

One question I have is, was this phrase in writing or did you hear it? The reason I ask is that the phrase as you have written it, "Le contesta su amigo" I believe would mean "Your/his/her friend answers you, him, or her.

If, however, it were written "Le contesta a su amigo," would I believe mean "You answer your/his/her friend." If you heard the phrase, it would be easy to miss the "a" before "su" if the speaker were speaking at a good speed.

Very good answer, Wink:) - FELIZ77, Jun 9, 2016

Answer 3

I believe: Le contesta su amigo means: His friend answers him/her.

Subject: Su amigo

Verb: Contestar (3rd person singular- present indicative)

Indirect object: le

For example: Nadie le contesta a Sara cuando habla.

Le contesta su amigo. (OR Su amigo le contesta)

No one answers Sara when she speaks.

Her friend answers her.

Hahahah hope that kind of helps.

"Le contesta su amigo. (OR Su amigo le contesta)" this is an excellent explanation! - 005faa61, Jun 11, 2016

Me encanta. :) - Daniela2041, Jun 11, 2016

"Le contesta su amigo. (OR Su amigo le contesta)" why their place in sentence can change? - DeepMind, Jun 12, 2016

Spanish syntax is very flexible, here is an additional link: http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm - Zein-, Jun 12, 2016

Answer 4

And what's role of "le" in this sentence?

His friend answers to her. Her friend answers to him. The "le" tells who "su amigo" is answering - Ramonaspiker, Jun 9, 2016