Read Madrigals Magic Key to Spanish Online
Authors: Margarita Madrigal
Tags: #Reference, #Language Arts & Disciplines
Madrigals Magic Key to Spanish (118 page)
Verbs that require the indirect object pronouns are as easy as pie to spot. If you can say the word “to” or “for” after the verb in English, it takes “le” in Spanish.
EXAMPLES
:
| I spoke to him. | Le hablé. |
| I sang to her. | Le canté. |
| I bought for him. | Le compré. |
| I sold to her. | Le vendí. |
| I wrote to him. | Le escribí. |
But it sounds wrong to say:
I kissed
to
him.
I visited
to
him.
I invited
to
her.
So these verbs do not take “le.” They take “lo” or “la.”
| I kissed him . | Lo besé. |
| I visited him . | Lo visité. |
| I invited her . | La invité. |
Your ear is your best friend in learning Spanish. You will find that after hearing certain word combinations a few times your ear will lead you unerringly into the same correct combinations. That is why it is so important to read all the lessons aloud. After you have read a lesson or series of lessons that cover a subject, things begin to sound right or wrong to you. Sometimes you can
“let your conscience be your guide,” but in learning Spanish you must let your ear be your guide.
This lesson takes advantage of your English ear, that is, what sounds right or wrong to you in English: “Kissed to him” sounds wrong; “spoke to him” sounds right.
There is only one thing to remember in this lesson. But that one thing is of vital importance: Verbs must be tested IN ENGLISH to determine whether they take “le” or “lo.” I call this the acid test.
Following is an exercise that shows how to give the verbs the acid test. In the left-hand column there is a list of verbs in English.
- Copy the English verbs to form column 1.
- If you can say, “to him” or “for him” after the verb, write either “to him” or “for him” (whichever sounds correct) in the second column. If you cannot say “to him” or “for him” after the verb, write “no” in the second column.
- The third column is the result of the acid test. If you have “to him” or “for him” in the second column, write “le” in the third. If you have “no” in the second column, write “lo, la” in the third.
- Check your columns with those below.
| VERBS | THE ACID TEST | CORRECT PRONOUNS |
| wrote | to him, her | le |
| visited | no | lo, la |
| bought | for him, her | le |
| invited | no | lo, la |
| bothered | no | lo, la |
| gave | to him, her | le |
| examined | no | lo, la |
| worried | no | lo, la |
| sang | to him, her | le |
| kissed | no | lo, la |
| sold | to him, her | le |
| spoke | to him, her | le |
| insulted | no | lo, la |
| congratulated | no | lo, la |
| saw | no | lo, la |
All these exercises, examples, and explanations can be reduced to a simple formula:
TO, FOR = LE
W
ORD
O
RDER
Le escribí a mi papá. (
To him
)
I wrote to my father
.
Le escribí a mi mamá. (
To her
)
I wrote to my mother
.
Notice that you can’t simply say, “I wrote to my mother.” In Spanish you must use both the noun and the pronoun with verbs that take “le.” You must say, “To him I wrote to my father” or “To her I wrote to my mother.”
EXAMPLES
:
Le escribí a mi primo. (
To him
)
I wrote to my cousin
.
Le compré una pipa a mi abuelo. (
For him
)
I bought a pipe for my grandfather
.
Le vendí la casa a Carlos. (
To him
)
I sold the house to Charles
.
Le hablé a Roberto. (
To him
)
I talked to Robert
.
The same thing happens when you ask a question.
¿Le vendió la casa a Roberto? (
To him
)
Did you sell the house to Robert?
¿Le compró una pipa a su abuelo? (
For him
)
Did you buy a pipe for your grandfather?
The most important thing to remember is that “le” sticks to verbs like a bur.
| cuándo, when | Le escribí . I wrote to you, him, her . |
| largo (masc.), larga (fem.) long | Le hablé. I talked to you, him, her . |
| una carta larga, a long letter | Le compré. I bought for you, him, her . |
| su abuelo, your grandfather | el cumpleaños, the birthday |
| la Navidad, Christmas ( Nativity ) | un disco, a phonograph record |
| inglés, English | o, or |
| un libro, a book | su, your, his, her, its |
The first student asks the questions. The second answers them.
DIÁLOGO 1
.
This entire conversation is about Isabel. Every “le” in it refers to Isabel.
1. ¿Le escribió una carta a Isabel?
2. Sí, le escribí una carta a Isabel.
1. ¿Cuándo le escribió?
2. Le escribí esta tarde.
1. ¿Le escribió en inglés o en español?
2. Le escribí en español.
1. Le escribió una carta larga?
2. Sí, le escribií una carta muy larga.
DIÁLOGO 2
.
This entire conversation is about grandfather. Every “le” in it refers to grandfather.
1. ¿Le compró usted una pipa a su abuelo?
2. Sí, le compré una pipa a mi abuelo.
1. ¿Le compró la pipa para la Navidad?
2. No, no le compré la pipa para la Navidad.
1. ¿Le compró la pipa para su cumpleaños?
2. Sí, le compré la pipa para su cumpleaños.
1. ¿Le compró usted un libro a su abuelo?
2. Sí, le compré un libro a mi abuelo. Le compré una novela para su cumpleaños.
DIÁLOGO 3
.
This conversation is about grandmother. Every “le” in it refers to grandmother.
1. ¿Le compró usted una blusa a su abuela?
2. Sí, le compré una blusa a mi abuela.
1. ¿Le compró usted la blusa para la Navidad?
2. No, no le compré la blusa para la Navidad.
1. ¿Le compró la blusa para su cumpleaños?
2. Sí, le compré la blusa para su cumpleaños.
1. ¿Le compró usted un disco a su abuela?
2. Sí, le compré un disco para su cumpleaños.
DIÁLOGO 4
.
This conversation is about Roberto. Every “le” in it refers to Roberto.
1. ¿Le habló usted a Roberto?
2. Sí, le hablé a Roberto.
1. ¿Le habló por teléfono?
2. Sí, le hablé por teléfono.
1. ¿Le habló esta tarde?
2. Sí, le hablé esta tarde?
1. ¿Le habló en inglés?
2. No, no le hablé en inglés.
1. ¿Le habló en español?
2. Sí, le hablé en español.
MANDAR,
to send
EXPLICAR,
to explain
ENTREGAR,
to deliver
EXAMPLES
Le mandé un libro.
I sent him a book
(
To him I sent a book
).
Le mandé un cable.
I sent you a cable
(
To you I sent a cable
).
Le mandé una blusa.
I sent her a blouse
(
To her I sent a blouse
).
Le mandamos un regalo.
We sent him a present
(
To him we sent a present
).
Le mandaron unas rosas.
They sent her some roses
. (
To her they sent some roses
).
Le mandé una pipa a Carlos.
I sent Charles a pipe
(
To him I sent a pipe to Charles
).
Le expliqué la situación a mi tía.
I explained the situation to my aunt
(
To her I explained the situation to my aunt
).
Le explicamos la lección a Luis.
We explained the lesson to Louis
(
To him we explained the lesson to Louis
).
Le entregué el paquete a su secretaria.
I delivered the package to your secretary
(
To her I delivered the package to your secretary
).
Le entregué la carta.
I delivered the letter to him
(
To him I delivered the letter
).
Me entregó el paquete.
He delivered the package to me
(
To me he delivered the package
).
entrega,
deliver
entrega inmediata,
special delivery
(
immediate delivery
)
Combine the words below in different ways to form as many sentences as you can. Be sure to use words from each of the columns in every sentence you form.
A
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Le escribí ([ To him ] I wrote ) | una carta ( a letter ) | a Roberto ( to Robert ) |
| Le vendí | una casa | a Luis |
| Le canté | una canción | a Carlos |
| Le hablé | por teléfono | al doctor |
| ée compré | una pipa | a mi abuelo |
| Le compré | una blusa | a mi abuela |
| ée mandé | un libro | a Isabel ( Elizabeth ) |
B
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
 ¿Le escribió ([To him ] Did you write? ) | una carta ( a letter ) | a Roberto ( io Robert? ) |
| ¿Le vendió | la casa | a Luis? |
| ¿Le cantó | una canción | a Carlos? |
| ¿Le habló | por teléfono | al doctor? |
| ¿Le compró | una pipa | a su abuelo? |
| ¿Le compró | una blusa | a su abuela? |
| ¿Le compró | un libro | a Isabel? |