The Personal A

Quick Answer

The personal a has no equivalent in English, so learners of the Spanish language must make a conscious effort to apply it. The general rule is that we use the personal a when the direct object is a specific person or pet. Keep reading to learn all about the personal a!

The preposition a has many uses in Spanish. It can translate as to, at, by, or for, and can be used to indicate motion, manner, location, and to specify times.

One of the most important uses of this preposition is the personal a. Let’s take a closer look!

Understanding Parts of Speech

It’s easy to understand the logic of the personal a if first you can identify the parts of speech in a sentence. More specifically, the subject, verb, and direct object.

Let’s test your understanding. Can you identify the parts of the following sentence?

examples
El niño comió una galleta. The child ate a cookie.

El niño (the child) is the subject of the sentence, meaning he performs the action represented by the verb. Comió (ate) is the verb, which expresses the action. Galleta is the direct object, which is the noun that receives the action of the verb.

Do you need help identifying the direct object in a sentence? We have a tip for you!

The direct object answers the questions Who? or What? What did the child eat? The child ate a cookie.

What is the Personal A?

The personal a can be summed up as follows: If the direct object of a sentence is a person, it will always be preceded by the preposition a.

Let’s take a look at two examples. In the first example, the direct object is an inanimate object, while in the second example, the direct object is a person.

examples
Vi un árbol hermoso. I saw a beautiful tree.
Vi a mi amigo este fin de semana. I saw my friend this weekend.

As previously mentioned, the preposition a has many translations. However, when it is used to introduce a person as a direct object, it has no translation at all.

To Use or Not to Use...

Now it’s time to take a more in-depth look at when we need to use the personal a, as well as when we shouldn’t use it.

Do use the personal a …

...when the direct object is a specific, identifiable person.

For example:

examples
Llamé a Camila y a Antonia ayer. I called Camila and Antonia yesterday.
Daniela besó a su novio. Daniela kissed her boyfriend.

...when the direct object is a pet.

For example:

examples
Espero ver a mi perro este fin de semana. I hope to see my dog this weekend.
¡No toques al gato! Don’t touch the cat!

If a is followed by el, the two words become al.

...when the direct object is a pronoun that replaces a person.

For example:

examples
No puedo encontrar a nadie que pueda ayudarme. I can’t find anyone who can help me.
Oí a alguien hablando. I heard someone talking.

Don’t use the personal a .…

...when referring to an unspecific, unidentifiable person or pet.

For example:

examples
Busco un cocinero con experiencia en alta cocina. I’m looking for a chef with experience in haute cuisine.
Mi hija adora los gatos. My daughter adores cats.

...when referring to inanimate objects or animals that are not pets.

For example:

examples
El futbolista pateó la pelota. The soccer player kicked the ball.
Vimos una cabra trepando a un árbol. We saw a goat climbing a tree.

...with the verbs haber and tener.

Never use the personal a after the verb haber(to be). It is generally not used after the verb tener(to have), except for emphasis.

For example:

examples
Hay un estudiante en la biblioteca. There’s a student in the library.
Tengo una hermana mayor. I have an older sister.

The Personal A in Questions

When asking a question about a person as a direct object, make sure to include the a before quién(who, singular) and quiénes(who, plural).