Personal "a" meaning "for"
I was reading up on the personal "a" and what I understand is that you use indirect object pronoun if you're using a subject pronoun. For example, I gave the book to Lily would be "di el libro a Lily" and I gave the book to her would be "le di el libro a ella" because I have used "ella" at the end. However, I'm a bit confused about a situation when "a" means for. For example, "I bought the book for Lily" would be "Compré el libro a Lily" but then is this the correct way to say "I bought the book for her"? : "Le compré el libro a ella". Sorry that I've explained this in a really messy way but Im just a bit confused about this personal "a". Thanks for any answers!
1 Answer
Hi.
What is the impersonal "a" that you mention in your first sentence?
You say you use indirect object pronoun if you're using a subject pronoun, but to me those things are independent. You say I gave the book to Lily would be "di el libro a Lily" and I gave the book to her would be "le di el libro a ella" because I have used "ella" at the end. I would say Le di el libro a Lily and Le di el libro a ella, using the indirect object pronoun le in both cases.
You ask about Le di el libro a ella as a translation of I bought the book for her. I would say Le di el libro para ella, using para in a straightforward way.
Perhaps most important, your title is about the personal "a", but your examples don't use the personal "a"! The personal a is used with direct objects when those direct objects are people (usually). Ray has pointed you to a lesson about the personal "a"; perhaps you should also see this lesson about indirect object pronouns.
