Ch 17 · Lesson 9Spanish · Chapter 17 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
A mí me gusta, a María le gusta
The a phrase adds emphasis or contrast (a , a no) and says who means (a María ).
The short version
A adds emphasis, a María says who
María .
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The a phrase in a repeats who is pleased, so it adds emphasis or contrast: a , a no. With and it also says who you mean, because can be him, her or formal you. The pronoun stays even then: a María , never a María .
A mí me gusta: emphasis and clarity
You will hear , , María . The phrase adds nothing new, because already says who likes it. It does two jobs:
| Job | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | , . | I like tea, but he doesn't. |
| Emphasis | ¿ ? | Do you like it? |
| Who is | María . | María likes dancing. |
| Who is | . | My parents like cats. |
can mean him, her or formal you, so a name after says who you mean. The pronoun stays even then:
María .- María likes dancing. (never a María)
The stressed forms after are the prepositional pronouns.
Going further: The construction: the thing liked is the subject and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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