Spanish · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 44

Le doy un regaloI give her a gift

Parties and celebrations. Vocabulary: la fiesta, el regalo, el cumpleaños, celebrar, la tarta, invitar, felicidades, dar, la música, bailar. Key point: when you give or say something TO SOMEONE, that recipient is the INDIRECT object, and is marked with me, te, le, nos, les — before the verb, as in ch. 40, but answering "to whom?": "Le doy un regalo a María" (I give María a gift). Key Spanish detail: it doubles — you put "le" AND "a María" in the same sentence. These are the same forms as "gustar" (ch. 27: "me gusta"). English speakers use the direct pronoun "lo" from ch. 40 for the recipient ("Lo doy un regalo" ✗) or calque the English order "give María a gift" ("doy María un regalo" ✗) → "le doy un regalo a María" ✓.

Dialogue

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doy María un regalo / le doy un regalo a María

MikeEl sábado es el cumpleaños de María. Doy María un regalo.Saturday is María’s birthday. I give María a gift. (slip: needs "le" + "a" — "le doy un regalo a María")
LucíaEn español se dice "LE doy un regalo A María". Hace falta el "le" y el "a".In Spanish you say "LE doy un regalo A María". You need the "le" and the "a".
MikeAh, se repite. ¿Y por qué "le" y no "lo", como el móvil del cap. 40?Ah, it doubles. And why "le" and not "lo", like the phone in ch. 40?
Lucía"Lo" es la cosa que das (el regalo lo compras). "Le" es la persona a quien se lo das."Lo" is the thing you give (the gift, you buy it). "Le" is the person you give it to.
MikeYa lo entiendo: le doy el regalo a ella, y a sus padres les mando una invitación.Now I get it: I give her the gift, and I send her parents an invitation.
Lucía¡Exacto! "Le" para una persona, "les" para varias. ¡Lo has clavado!Exactly! "Le" for one person, "les" for several. You’ve nailed it!

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Preparando la fiesta— Getting the party ready

LucíaCarlos, mañana es el cumpleaños de mamá. ¿Qué le compramos?Carlos, tomorrow is Mum’s birthday. What shall we buy her?
CarlosLe podemos regalar un libro. Y yo le hago una tarta.We can give her a book. And I’ll make her a cake.
LucíaPerfecto. Yo les mando un mensaje a los tíos para invitarlos.Perfect. I’ll send the aunts and uncles a message to invite them.
Carlos¿Y la música? A mamá le encanta bailar.And the music? Mum loves to dance.
LucíaLe pongo sus canciones favoritas. Va a ser una fiesta preciosa.I’ll put on her favourite songs for her. It’s going to be a lovely party.
CarlosSeguro que le va a encantar. ¡Feliz cumpleaños por adelantado, mamá!She’s sure to love it. Happy birthday in advance, Mum!

Vocabulary

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la fiesta: n.f.party
el regalo: n.m.gift, present
el cumpleaños: n.m.birthday
celebrar: verbto celebrate
la tarta: n.f.cake
invitar: verbto invite
felicidades: interjectioncongratulations, happy birthday
dar: verbto give
la música: n.f.music
bailar: verbto dance

Grammar

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Indirect object pronouns: le, les

Explanation

In ch. 40 you saw the DIRECT object (lo, la): what receives the action ("compro EL regalo → lo compro", I buy the gift → I buy it). Now the INDIRECT object: the person TO WHOM you give or say something. The forms are: me (to me), te (to you), le (to him/her/you formal), nos (to us), les (to them/you all). They go before the verb, just like the direct ones: "Te doy un regalo" (I give you a gift), "Le escribo a mi abuela" (I write to my grandmother), "Les mando una invitación" (I send them an invitation). The curious thing about Spanish: it usually REPEATS the information — it uses "le" AND "a María" at once: "Le doy un regalo a María". The "le" is not dropped even if the name is said. Do these forms sound familiar? They are EXACTLY those of "gustar" (ch. 27): "me gusta", "le gusta". Typical verbs: dar, regalar, decir, escribir, comprar, mandar. English speakers' mistake: (1) they use the direct "lo" for the person ("Lo doy un regalo" ✗) or (2) they copy the English order "give María a gift" with no "a" and no "le" ("doy María un regalo" ✗) → "le doy un regalo a María" ✓.

Examples

Le doy un regalo a María por su cumpleaños.I give María a gift for her birthday.
¿Les mandaste la invitación a tus amigos?Did you send your friends the invitation?
Mi abuela me regala dinero, y yo le escribo una carta.My grandmother gives me money, and I write her a letter.
En la fiesta, el grupo nos toca música y todos bailamos.At the party, the band plays us music and everyone dances.

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