So it turns out that there are many aspects about the Spanish language that can be confusing to learners because in English, nothing like this exists. One such thing that can confuse non-native speakers is the Personal A. In this video below I explain the Personal A and show how to use it.
Leave any questions, comments or suggestions below. 🙂
Vocabulario:
sustantivos(nouns)
alguien – someone
bistec con papas – steak with potatoes
el autor – author
el caníbal – cannibal
el gato – cat
el novio – boyfriend
el papá – dad
el periódico – newspaper
el presidente – the president
el señor – man; gentleman
fotos – photos
la amiga – female friend
las chicas – girls
los hombres – men
la música rock – rock music
la novia – girlfriend
la pizza – pizza
la ropa – clothing; clothes
las hamburguesas – hamburgers
las muchachas – girls
las personas – people
la radio – radio
la televisión – tv
los chicos – boys
los estudiantes – students
los libros – books
los niños – kids;children; boys
los platos – plates; dishes
mamá¡ – mom
matemáticas – math
nadie – no one
quien – who
una secretaria – secretary
verbos (verbs)
comer – to eat
++come – he/she eats
++comemos – we eat
++ comen – They eat
comprar – to buy
++compran – they buy
buscar – to look for
++busca – he/she looks for
conocer – to know
++ conoce – he/she knows
cocinar – to cook
++ cocinan – they cook
encontrar – to find
escuchar – to listen (to)
++escucha – he/she listens (t0)
escribir – to write
++escribe – he/she writes
esperar – to hope; to wait for
++esperan – they hope; they wait for
estudiar – study
++estudian – they study
lavar – to wash
++lavamos – we wash
leer – to read
++ lee – he/she reads
mirar – to watch; to look at
++miran – they watch; they look at
++mira – he/she watches; he/she looks at
morder – to bite
++muerde – he/she bites
necesitar – needs
++necesita – he/she needs
poder – can; to be able
++pueden – they can
sacar – to take
++saca – he/she takes
telefonear – to call on the telephone / to telephone
++telefonea – he/she calls on the phone/telephones
tener – to have
++tengo – I have
++tiene – he/she has
ver – to see
++ veo – I see
++vemos – we see
otro (other)
de – of
famoso – famous
gordo – fat
mi/mis – my
mucho – a lot
su/sus – his / her / your(formal) / their
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14 Comments
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Tyreek
4 years ago
since ive started learning Spanish i love it at first it was kinda hard but as the days i spend on it i understand more
Yasmin
8 years ago
Hola:
Necesito saber si tienes algún video relacionado con la preposición de:
de, de la, de las, de los, del
MuCHAS GRACIAS
MISS. ORTIZ
Yankee
12 years ago
oops sorry you say at the end it is not needed when the person is not known . I thought maybe there was a reason you did not mention animals. I don”t take anything for granted. Too many exceptions to rules.
Yankee
12 years ago
I recall you saying what the personal a is used for early on then near the end saying it is not used for a specific person. I don’t recall you saying about not using it for animals you know at the end.
Yankee
12 years ago
If an animal is not known do you omit the personal a?
The personal a is only really used with animals that we personify. That’s why pets tend have personal a‘s used with them. I don’t quite understand your question. I would assume if you don’t know an animal, it’s just another animal. Unless you personify it.
-Sr. J
Kyle
13 years ago
Sr. Jordan,
Once again you make things so clear. I new about the personal a, but I did not know that it was only used after a verb if it was an action upon the person. Gracias, gracias, gracias
Ariel
13 years ago
Hola,
Thanks so much for doing these videos! I am in a Spanish 1 class at college, and these videos have helped me understand the more difficult concepts. Please keep up the great work!
Gracias,
Ariel
sue clark
13 years ago
thank you so much for all your hard work – i am a homeschool mom and your videos help me teach along w/ the curriculum, however, you explain it so i can understand it.
i just wanted to let you know you are appreciated and thank you for taking the time to explain it in an easy way so we can all get it!
ty,
sue
Jim
13 years ago
Sr. Jordan,
I haven’t looked a tyour site for a while… decided to take a peek again as a refresher
& see your updated site as well. I can relate to the comment from “meir”, above regarding “expensive programs…”, especially since I’ve also experienced many of these other programs. Yours is still among the very best 3-4 or so, and I’ve looked at scores!
Muchos Gracias!
Jim (the retired guy!)
Meir
13 years ago
Jordan,
You and Prof. Jason, are indeed the best teachers around. If anyone is thinking to buy one of those fancy and expensive programs on disk, forget it. This two will teach you in 8 minute session, in which other won’t do in 1 hour.
I like these videos so much that, (with your prior permission), even downloaded many of these videos onto my Blackberry (MP4), and refer to them whenever I have a chance.
thank you for putting so much time to make these videos. they are very valuable.
Anita
14 years ago
gracias me aydua mucho
Jeff Bitamug y de la Torre
14 years ago
Hola Señor Jordan! Gracias por todos!
Since I started studying Spanish through your blog for 10 months now, I learned a lot from you! Now at least I can understand some articles I read in Yahoo or Wikipedia. But I know I still have many things to learn. Continue inspiring us and the rest of the people all over the world! Viva el español! Greetings from the Pearl of the Orient Seas, Las Islas Filipinas!
Jeff 🙂
Sandra Aroch
14 years ago
I was just thinking about a way to teach this concept to my students. But, you did a great job explaining it.
Thank you for your videos. My students like when I bring you into our classroom!
since ive started learning Spanish i love it at first it was kinda hard but as the days i spend on it i understand more
Hola:
Necesito saber si tienes algún video relacionado con la preposición de:
de, de la, de las, de los, del
MuCHAS GRACIAS
MISS. ORTIZ
oops sorry you say at the end it is not needed when the person is not known . I thought maybe there was a reason you did not mention animals. I don”t take anything for granted. Too many exceptions to rules.
I recall you saying what the personal a is used for early on then near the end saying it is not used for a specific person. I don’t recall you saying about not using it for animals you know at the end.
If an animal is not known do you omit the personal a?
The personal a is only really used with animals that we personify. That’s why pets tend have personal a‘s used with them. I don’t quite understand your question. I would assume if you don’t know an animal, it’s just another animal. Unless you personify it.
-Sr. J
Sr. Jordan,
Once again you make things so clear. I new about the personal a, but I did not know that it was only used after a verb if it was an action upon the person. Gracias, gracias, gracias
Hola,
Thanks so much for doing these videos! I am in a Spanish 1 class at college, and these videos have helped me understand the more difficult concepts. Please keep up the great work!
Gracias,
Ariel
thank you so much for all your hard work – i am a homeschool mom and your videos help me teach along w/ the curriculum, however, you explain it so i can understand it.
i just wanted to let you know you are appreciated and thank you for taking the time to explain it in an easy way so we can all get it!
ty,
sue
Sr. Jordan,
I haven’t looked a tyour site for a while… decided to take a peek again as a refresher
& see your updated site as well. I can relate to the comment from “meir”, above regarding “expensive programs…”, especially since I’ve also experienced many of these other programs. Yours is still among the very best 3-4 or so, and I’ve looked at scores!
Muchos Gracias!
Jim (the retired guy!)
Jordan,
You and Prof. Jason, are indeed the best teachers around. If anyone is thinking to buy one of those fancy and expensive programs on disk, forget it. This two will teach you in 8 minute session, in which other won’t do in 1 hour.
I like these videos so much that, (with your prior permission), even downloaded many of these videos onto my Blackberry (MP4), and refer to them whenever I have a chance.
thank you for putting so much time to make these videos. they are very valuable.
gracias me aydua mucho
Hola Señor Jordan! Gracias por todos!
Since I started studying Spanish through your blog for 10 months now, I learned a lot from you! Now at least I can understand some articles I read in Yahoo or Wikipedia. But I know I still have many things to learn. Continue inspiring us and the rest of the people all over the world! Viva el español! Greetings from the Pearl of the Orient Seas, Las Islas Filipinas!
Jeff 🙂
I was just thinking about a way to teach this concept to my students. But, you did a great job explaining it.
Thank you for your videos. My students like when I bring you into our classroom!