I've never felt the need to comment on RUclips before but this video has helped me more than I can explain! After hours in textbooks, searching forums and annoying my Spanish boyfriend with questions on this, in a mere 10 minutes I now understand. Your videos are amazing - what an educator!!! THANK YOU :)
Oh my goodness talk about clarity!!! Thank you so VERY much for this video. I wanted to give up learning this language but you have restored my faith!!!
Gordon muchas gracias...you make it now very clear for me...I was not know why Le= Lo (A friend of mine from Spain he told me about LE = masculine and LO = IT) ...but now with your explanation I understand and its clear for me now...a very great 19:12 Minutes video that teach me faster as can be. Muchisimas gracias :-) saludos de Munich
So useful!!!! I'm a long time learner and these little nagging issues help clear out the cobwebs. You're doing a fantastic service. Subscribed and enjoying your teaching style. Yet to see you and your partner.
Tuve que entrar a un video de inglés para entender cuando es LE y cuando es LO!!! Obviamente siempre supe aplicarlo pero nunca pude razonar la regla. Sos un genio!!! Saludos desde Buenos Aires.
Wow! This was so helpful! Thank you so much for this video. I finally wrapped my head around "furniture moving" pronouns and "shoot at me" pronouns. ¡Gracias!
Gordon your lessons help me to learn this language fairly fluently. I love to binge on these videos when I want to learn more. I have to learn more everyday to do so. Your lessons are so simple. Muchas Gracias eres muy amable y informativo. Los lecciones son interesante y muy util para mi. ¡asi Muchas Gracias!
Very useful thanks. I am sure I will be watching this again. It's great to have this explained in plain English. Have been studying Spanish for 4 months and am a tad frustrated - there is just so much to learn, you understand one thing then come across the next thing that's totally alien and confusing. Very pleased I found this, I'll be watching your other videos too. Gracias por tu ayuda.
Such a clear explanation, this is teaching at its best. Having watched this once I get it. I learn better with some visual understanding rather than just text books so thank you Gordon.
you are a life saver Gordon! My Uni course hasn't reached this topic yet, but Duolingo started to shoot lo la le at we without much of an explanation and I was soooo confused. This app is good for vocabulary, but so rubbish for grammar. The way you and Cynthia explain things is so good (and fun!). Muchas gracias x
Just stumbled over this lesson, wish I had found you sooner!! You make it so simple, I've been studying Spanish for 2 years and verbs are a pain in the arse! Can't wait to watch more tutorials. Ps you remind me of Robert Carlisle 😊
I am new here and I liked it very much. Nice idea and methodology... but there is slight possibility that some confusion may occur. I believe that the verb itself can be either direct or indirect depending on its use: I prepare him (for something) > Le preparo (por algo) I prepare it (something for someone) > Lo preparo (algo por alguien) She sent him (out for something) > Le envió (por algo) She sent him (something) > Lo envió (algo) etc Not English nor Spanish is my native language so I might be totally wrong. In any case, beautiful lessons and very clear and comprehensive explanations. Thank you for being there guys. Keep on, please.
***** You are right, of course. Think of my examples in the context of when there is an interaction between two or more people. This is when my examples are effective. Well done, nice explanations. And good English!
LightSpeed Spanish Thank you very much. It's clear now. I must say again how happy I am that I've found this site (estoy feliz como un niño con zapatos nuevos). Best regards
Another great video. I wish you were my teacher Gordon :). If textbooks explained it so easily as you, learning would be much more easier. Greetings from Czech Republic! Vitek
Pedro compra un regalo para María. = Pedro buys a gift for María --> Pedro is the subject of the phrase. You identify the subject by asking "who?" to the verb Who buys? --> Pedro Now you have TWO more elements: "gift" and "María". You have to identify the DIRECT and the INDIRECT object. The way to do it is seting the phrase in passive mode. Passive mode: --> A gift is bought by Pedro for María. Now identify the subject (called passive subject) Who is being bought? --> A gift So "gift" is the DIRECT object ( LO/LA - depending if the object is masculin or femenin) because Pedro is not buying "María", Pedro is buying "a gift" and "María" is the INDIRECT object ( LE ) And you can now say: --> Pedro LO (=regalo) compra para María --> Pedro LE (=María) compra un regalo Always ask the verb to identify: WHO? = Subject WHAT? = DIRECT object (LO/LA) TO WHO? = INDIRECT object (LE) I like your videos, greetings from Valencia, SPain.
I agree - I always found the names of grammar/tenses etc were often very abstract, and quite 'removed' and difficult to pin to what they were describing.
Great video instructions as always. Thank you!!...on a totally unrelated topic...I see your shirt has the word 'urban', and you somewhat resemble the singer Keith Urban. Am I loco??
Pero 😂😂😂 this is a really good "video" gordon. BTW, I am loving your book Victors adventures. I am looking at the idioms section and getting stuck on the placement and use of certain pronouns and ones that are placed on the end of the verb. Do you have a lesson on this please?
Do you have a link to the video where you explain the difference between the 'furniture removers' and the 'shoot at list'? Also, was thinking of an example that is also less obvious and I am seeing conflicting examples... I help him: Le ayudo o lo ayudo. I asked my mexican friend and he said both jaja. I would love to hear your opinion. According to your explanation, it should be lo ayudo if I understand it correctly.
At time-mark 00:50, when Gordon is talking about the LE/LO “mystery”, I think he is referring to the “LE LO Pronouns. Gordon Throws a Tantrum” video from Oct 1, 2014. In THAT video, at time-mark 00:20, he talks about “taking the mystery out of the LE/LO situation”... you have to skip to time-mark 09:26 to get to where he discusses “furniture movers” and “shoot at” lists. Here is a link to that video: ruclips.net/video/5El5ZmnJayk/видео.html All I can say is, Gordon deserves a noble prize in teaching (if there is such a thing) .... they way he simplifies such seemingly complex stuff is awesome. For me, I think the order of his videos for understanding indirect/direct object pronouns and verbs would be this: LE LO Pronouns. Gordon Throws a Tantrum LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 1, 2014) (time-mark 09:26) Spanish Pronouns. Getting the order right. LightSpeed Spanish (Nov 25, 2013) The Uses of Spanish DIRECT Pronouns LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 24, 2014) The Uses of Spanish INDIRECT Pronouns LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 22, 2014) Is this Spanish Verb DIRECT or INDIRECT? LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 3, 2014) Date-wise, they are out of order, but for me, for learning, I found this to be the best order.
Thanks Rick. That is very helpful. I agree, that he has done an excellent job explaining a complicated concept. I have started to teach Spanish to foreigners and I needed a concrete way to explain this stuff to them. I like the theories he shares to understand it.
Having spent Months trying to get my head around the Direct and Indirect verbs I have just watched this video... FANTASTIC. Months of pulling my hair out explained in 19 mins... muchas gracias;)
Hi, I've got a question (not about this but related) about se+le, I get it when it's se+lo/ la as the se is just taking the place of le. What I struggle with is working out how se+le fit together the reflexive with the indirect. Nobody ever tackles this on youtube. It's always the easier se+lo/ la. I can't think of any examples with se+le now but it always stumps me when I see them together. Any chance of a vid covering this in the future? Many thanks
Respondon I know the ones you mean. Se le cayó la taza. = The cup fell from him. Se le olvidó la cita. = He forgot the appointment. This is just a reflexive verb that is used to show an action happening to someone. In English we say, "on him" or "from him". Se le averió el coche. = The car broke down on him. He= LE is just the victim of the action. I will do a video on it to explain it more clearly.
Thanks for your video it's very helpful, but I was a little confused when you said the sentence "Le prepara un café a su esposa" as wouldn't "le" be redundant there since the "le" is supposed to be in place of his wife? Or can you say that in Spanish?
Some verbs take the RIOP (Redundant Indirect Object Pronoun). With some verbs the IOP optional if you mention the person, like in this case -although it's more common with Le-, in other cases it's not optional, like with Decir. (Le dije a mi madre, Les dije a mis amigos, Le dije a Carlos...)
I'm chagrined for screwing up 'le' for the billionth time ;) Further comments and your replies amply clarify my real question, which is that 'indirectness' varies by context. But I suppose some verbs, like 'dar' and 'decir', are very often indirect, where as 'hablar' for example _could_ be indirect, but much less commonly. So a bit like reflexive, no?
Lo siento por el uso del ingles pero es complicada.Brilliant explanation as usual.One question.If I use the verb Enviar in a different context eg. "I sent the children away /or to school"-Does it then become a direct verb or is a different verb altogether used in spanish for this action.
Excellent presentation on topic that has nagged me for years. He refers to Latin grammar in the beginning so maybe this is an area that has its roots in Latin?
one more question! :) for a verb like 'preparar,' can this change from direct to indirect depending on context? 'lo prepara (un cafe)' vs. "le prepara un cafe a su marida' ? "he prepares it (the coffee)" vs "he prepares the coffee for her" ?
lo prepara un café. = he prepares HIM a coffee. (Direct) le prepara un café a su marida= he prepares him a coffee TO HIS SPOUSE (indirect) Its no longer for HIM, its for His SPOUSE now. the "him" gets in the way of the spouse receiving that coffee directly. Hope this helps, and ask others this same question to get a good grip on it.
Barak Diaz Mark, I think what you are saying means perhaps I didn't explain myself fully. Preparar is an indirect verb if you are preparing something for someone else. Remember the system. If there is something between the two people, then it MUST be indirect. Therefore, if He prepares him a coffee, the coffee is in between. INDIRECT. Le prepara un café (a su amigo) To answer your other question, the A SU AMIGO is extra info for clarity. You can add or take away that info. However, you CANNOT take off the LE because of the redundant use of the pronpun with this verb. Look at this podcast to understand that. www.lightspeedspanish.co.uk/20130930-the-redundant-use-of-spanish-pronouns/
In English you say I like pineapples, in Spanish, however, we say (to me) pineapples are pleasing. So, instead of you being the one starting the liking you are the one receiving the "pleasing". I like cars= Me gustan los coches. Cynthia x.
Hi Gordon! I have a question regarding the video. Is a verb always direct or indirect in ALL situations? can't a verb be both depending on a sentence? for example, prepare (preparar). You can prepare something for your wife...that makes it an indirect verb. But you can also prepare your wife...now there is nothing coming between you. Thanks in advance!
You are right. The context can make the verb direct or indirect. Preparo un café = lo preparo. Le preparo un café. = Se lo preparo. It's indirect when someone else is receiving something only.
Similar to bthoey; if I say 'I prepare a coffee' without mentioning anyone in particular, does that (1) make it direct, after all, or, (2) is this where we have the idea of an implied recipient, or (3) is the coffee the recipient of the action in this case? I think it would be 'le preparo un cafe' and (2)...
Greg Tomkins Greg. The indirect version kicks in when you make a coffee for someone. If not, it is a simple action. Preparo un café. .. normal Me preparo un cafe...reflexive...te preparo un café...indirect
Manuel 2unes You use lo/la for direct verbs and le for indirect verbs. However, many people have their own style. Just copy the people from the place you visit. If not, try to stick to the rules above.
the "trick" I am using to remember which are "direct", le lo la etc. is that if my girlfriend is named LOLA, I have a direct connection with her,.... might help someone else to wrap their head around the concept
Hey Gordon, I liked the video but I'm still confused by things like the title of the song "no le pegue a la negra" in which le refers to "la negra" which I believe should be direct. I suppose you could say something in english like "I hit the ball to her" in which case her would be the indirect, but in the sentence "I hit him", him is the direct object (unless my english grammar is all messed up as well, lol).
+Dante Hoyte Hey, Dante. I think what happens with pegar is that you are actually giving the person something, ' a thump' 'una ostia', 'un guantazo' so it works as indirect rather than direct. What do you think?
I guess that makes sense. A Mexican friend of mine said it's because la negra is the direct and le is the indirect, although they still refer to the same object (not quite sure about this though). I like your answer better. Another Venezuelan friend said it depends on the verb. For example, le quiero (i love her) and la amo (i love her). Sorry if this is causing mass confusion but I've been screwing up pronouns for a while and I'd like to get it right eventually. haha
+Dante Hoyte Dante, both querer and amar need direct pronouns. If someone says 'le quiero' they are a leísta. It's not wrong because it's accepted by the academy, however, it isn't standard. It should be lo/la quiero.
Your a fk hero i can speak spanish fluent now but this was always a bit of a hard part for me. You dont talk around it hero ! U really want to help ppl.
In the movie Ted (español) when the kid says "Yo lo quiero" referring to Ted as an "it" (in the english version the kid says "I want it."), Ted gets offended and replies "¡Oye! Yo no soy un lo, soy un le. ¿Vale?" (in the english version he says 'Hey! I'm not an it pal, I'm a he. Alright?"). Based on what you're saying in the video, I think it would be fine to use "lo" in that case, but that's not really what I'm asking. I was just wondering if you had any insight into this particular instance. Thanks :)
James Donnellan Really, there is no way if distinguishing it and him in Spanish. Lo refers to both. It probably would have been better for them to try and work the dialogue into an Esto instead of an Este. That has the same feel as an it, genderless thing.
¡Que lección mas útil! I don't know how to link verbs in Spanish when there is a pronoun, por ejemplo: I (want) you (to do) me a favor. Te quiero hacerme un favor? Is this correct? There are cases when a subjunctive is used and sometimes they connect them using de or a. I might not have put that right but I hope you got the idea.
Saad Altuilaai The sentence you have given is a trigger for the subjunctive. It would be like this: Quiero que ME hagas un favor. The structure in English is like this. "I want that FOR ME you do a favour. " Your sentence can't work because you have two people receiving the same action and no one doing it. Your sentence says " I want FOR YOU to do FOR ME a favour. I want to do you a favour. ...this isn't a subjunctive trigger and is easier: Quiero hacerte un favor. The structure is identical to English. I hope I have helped a bit. :)
Ok a friend of mine said that pegar is a transitive verb (which I believe means it takes 2 objects rather than 1). In this case the indirect object is "la negra" and according to my friend the direct object is una golpiza. So it's like dar, "I gave him a slap", "I pegared him a golpiza." Maybe. Anyone care to back me up on this?? :)
+Dante Hoyte transitive verbs can take one or more objects, not necessarily two. Pegar is a transitive verb, sometimes used as a pronominal verb (it takes a pronoun). Le pegué (tran. pron. verb) una golpiza (DO) a él (IO).
+LightSpeed Spanish Yeah transitive is all I could think of, forgot the word for verbs requiring two pronouns. Anyways, thanks for the confirmation. I now realize that's what you already said above. Thanks so much Gordon :)
Gordon, in "I talk to him", there is nothing between me and him, so it should be direct: "Lo hablo." But i thing it's indirect: "Le hablo." "Lo hablo" is "I speak IT". What is correct?
What about the verb "ayudar"? Is it direct or indirect? One often hears the expression, ¿En qué le puedo ayudar? This would indicate to me that it might be indirect but the indirect object is implied. Or is this a case of leísmo?
let's use the 2 people and the thing getting in the way (icecream) the 1st person is whoever 'le' is and the 2nd person is 'his head' between fitting 'something' from him to his head there is 'something' in the way. thus indirect.
so for the 'enviar' example, i can say 'le envio una tarjeta' AND 'le envio una tarjeta a mi madre' ? could I also just say 'envio una tarjeta a mi madre,' or is the 'le' necessary?
If your first language is English, this channel is perfect for learning Spanish. If I have a problem, I come here. He explains it so simple and clear.
¡Gracias! :)
I've never felt the need to comment on RUclips before but this video has helped me more than I can explain! After hours in textbooks, searching forums and annoying my Spanish boyfriend with questions on this, in a mere 10 minutes I now understand. Your videos are amazing - what an educator!!! THANK YOU :)
Gemma Williams Thank you very much, Gemma.
Wow, you make it so clear and easy to remember - thanks so much.
Carolyn Joy You are very welcome, Carolyn:)
A superbly clear and helpful explanation. The mystery is gone! Thanks Gordon
you are a legit god i had no clue what I was doing for about 2 weeks but i got it from you in 10 minutes
Oh my goodness talk about clarity!!! Thank you so VERY much for this video. I wanted to give up learning this language but you have restored my faith!!!
Sweetie Pies Excelente, Sweetie. I'm really happy this helped:)
You should be called, "The Spanish Whisperer". You make everything do clear. Great videos! Thanks for all of your help.
I love this lesson .I watch it every now and then to refresh my memory .Thanks Gordon 😀
Gracias, mi amigo:)
FINALLY SOMEONE EXPLAINS THIS IN A WAY THAT WORKS!! Me gusta!!!
Gordon muchas gracias...you make it now very clear for me...I was not know why Le= Lo (A friend of mine from Spain he told me about LE = masculine and LO = IT) ...but now with your explanation I understand and its clear for me now...a very great 19:12 Minutes video that teach me faster as can be. Muchisimas gracias :-) saludos de Munich
Gordon is the man!!!!!!!!
Muchas gracias Señor Smith!!
He and Cynthia are awesome! Such effective teachers.
So useful!!!! I'm a long time learner and these little nagging issues help clear out the cobwebs. You're doing a fantastic service. Subscribed and enjoying your teaching style. Yet to see you and your partner.
Hola. Excellent video. I have watched this several times. It's one of my favorites ! Thank you Gordon 😊
¡Gracias!
thank you Gordon.. at last..someone who can explain grammar in real terms that I can understand.
Tuve que entrar a un video de inglés para entender cuando es LE y cuando es LO!!! Obviamente siempre supe aplicarlo pero nunca pude razonar la regla. Sos un genio!!! Saludos desde Buenos Aires.
Wow! This was so helpful! Thank you so much for this video. I finally wrapped my head around "furniture moving" pronouns and "shoot at me" pronouns. ¡Gracias!
Gordon your lessons help me to learn this language fairly fluently. I love to binge on these videos when I want to learn more. I have to learn more everyday to do so. Your lessons are so simple. Muchas Gracias eres muy amable y informativo. Los lecciones son interesante y muy util para mi. ¡asi Muchas Gracias!
¡Muchas gracias! :)
Gordon you are one of the greatest teachers among others on youtube. Can you also deal with the word "al" which confuses!
John, if you send Gordon an email he will cover it in Ser Socio (La Zona VIP). Are you a member? Cx
Ptof. Gordan Le, Lo,Los What a lovely way it has been explained. Thank you.
WOW!!What a brilliant way to explain such a complex topic in Spanish.Muchisimas Gracias Gordon.You are an amazing teacher.
Muchas gracias :) Cx
What a fantastic tutorial. Muchas gracias!
Very useful thanks. I am sure I will be watching this again. It's great to have this explained in plain English. Have been studying Spanish for 4 months and am a tad frustrated - there is just so much to learn, you understand one thing then come across the next thing that's totally alien and confusing. Very pleased I found this, I'll be watching your other videos too. Gracias por tu ayuda.
I'm happy to hear that! Keep going! :) Cx
Brilliant! Finally I get it. Muchisimo Gracias Gordon
David Schroeder Excelente...de nada:)
FANTASTIC VIDEO, IM JUST MOVING INTO INTERMEDIATE SPANISH AND IM NOW UNDERSTANDING THIS!
¡Fantástico! :)
If only my teachers explained it like this! Learning Spanish would have been a LOT easier! Muchisimas gracias Gordon!
Daniel Kennedy De nada. Gracias a ti.:)
You make it so simple to understand, Gordon. Muchas gracias
¡A ti! :)
Such a clear explanation, this is teaching at its best. Having watched this once I get it. I learn better with some visual understanding rather than just text books so thank you Gordon.
Glad that you liked it :)
you are a life saver Gordon! My Uni course hasn't reached this topic yet, but Duolingo started to shoot lo la le at we without much of an explanation and I was soooo confused. This app is good for vocabulary, but so rubbish for grammar. The way you and Cynthia explain things is so good (and fun!). Muchas gracias x
¡Tina, gracias a ti! Cx
I was always confused about lo, la, le, etc. Not any more. Thanks Gordon xx.
yup, clarity is the answer, as clarity trumps confusion every time. Great point.
Ray Unseitig Gracias, Ray!
I love simplicity. Thank you, Gordon.
+bshirah Gracias:)
Just stumbled over this lesson, wish I had found you sooner!! You make it so simple, I've been studying Spanish for 2 years and verbs are a pain in the arse!
Can't wait to watch more tutorials. Ps you remind me of Robert Carlisle 😊
¡Gracias! Voy a buscar a Robert Carlisle. Cynthia x.
Such a great teacher and brilliantly explained. Thank you
Gracias :)
Awesome! Thank you so very much for simplifying this. Amazing job!
This is a great series! Keep them coming...
Mikeycal Meyers Gracias....vienen unos cuantos más:)
Muchas Gracias Gordon- Well explained
***** Gracias.
I am new here and I liked it very much. Nice idea and methodology... but there is slight possibility that some confusion may occur. I believe that the verb itself can be either direct or indirect depending on its use:
I prepare him (for something) > Le preparo (por algo)
I prepare it (something for someone) > Lo preparo (algo por alguien)
She sent him (out for something) > Le envió (por algo)
She sent him (something) > Lo envió (algo)
etc
Not English nor Spanish is my native language so I might be totally wrong.
In any case, beautiful lessons and very clear and comprehensive explanations. Thank you for being there guys. Keep on, please.
***** You are right, of course. Think of my examples in the context of when there is an interaction between two or more people. This is when my examples are effective. Well done, nice explanations. And good English!
LightSpeed Spanish Thank you very much. It's clear now. I must say again how happy I am that I've found this site (estoy feliz como un niño con zapatos nuevos).
Best regards
Thank you Mr Gordon,you really made it easy for me.
Gordon you are the best thank you for making it easy.
¡Muchas gracias! :)
Another great video. I wish you were my teacher Gordon :). If textbooks explained it so easily as you, learning would be much more easier. Greetings from Czech Republic! Vitek
vitekbful Muchas, gracias.
That is very well explained and I think I have grasped it now. Thank you!
Thanks, Gordon for pointing it out.
You made it so simple to understand. Love your channel
he's awesome
Barak Diaz Thank you!
Best explanation ever thank you soooo much !!
missingaboard Thank you. :)
Perfect didn't use to confuse le and lo i just use them spontaneously but now i have a logic explanation to make the difference gracias
sandra mary De nada:)
Muchas gracias Gordon.....muy claro!
Emlyn Griffith Gracias, Emlyn:)
Pedro compra un regalo para María.
= Pedro buys a gift for María
--> Pedro is the subject of the phrase. You identify the subject by asking "who?" to the verb
Who buys? --> Pedro
Now you have TWO more elements: "gift" and "María".
You have to identify the DIRECT and the INDIRECT object.
The way to do it is seting the phrase in passive mode.
Passive mode:
--> A gift is bought by Pedro for María.
Now identify the subject (called passive subject)
Who is being bought? --> A gift
So "gift" is the DIRECT object ( LO/LA - depending if the object is masculin or femenin) because Pedro is not buying "María", Pedro is buying "a gift"
and "María" is the INDIRECT object ( LE )
And you can now say:
--> Pedro LO (=regalo) compra para María
--> Pedro LE (=María) compra un regalo
Always ask the verb to identify:
WHO? = Subject
WHAT? = DIRECT object (LO/LA)
TO WHO? = INDIRECT object (LE)
I like your videos, greetings from Valencia, SPain.
gracias por la informacion :) entiendo bien sobre de direct object and indirect object...saludos!!!!!!
¡Fantástico! :)
An excellent video. Loads of thanks
¡Muchas gracias!
wow,great explanation,thank you very much
Awesome video!!!!!
Genius! Thank you.
I agree - I always found the names of grammar/tenses etc were often very abstract, and quite 'removed' and difficult to pin to what they were describing.
Paul Wilson Exactly!
Mil gracias Gordon!!! Lo hisiste muy facil!....bueno, por lo menos mucho mas facil.
¡Fenomenal! :)
Gracias Señor Gordon. ¡Eres genial!
¡Gracias Gordon! Eres el mejor.
+Brenda Olsen De nada. Gracias a ti:)
Absolutely brilliant, oops and dop really can be confusing that was kiss and a light bulb moment foe me. Good job u. Thank you
Brilliant!! This explains a lot. Thanks very much for the lessons. :)
You are welcome:)
Explained very well.
Andrew Byrnes Gracias:)
is anyone else taking notes with Gordon? :) I love to write everything that's said. almost everything.
Great video instructions as always. Thank you!!...on a totally unrelated topic...I see your shirt has the word 'urban', and you somewhat resemble the singer Keith Urban. Am I loco??
Hahahaha That's funny! I'll let Gordon know! :D
Wonderful as always!!👏👏
Gracias, Érica :)
Video espectacular!
¡Gracias! :)
great explanation.
Increible. Un énorme merci à Gordon
:)
Pero 😂😂😂 this is a really good "video" gordon. BTW, I am loving your book Victors adventures. I am looking at the idioms section and getting stuck on the placement and use of certain pronouns and ones that are placed on the end of the verb. Do you have a lesson on this please?
Do you have a link to the video where you explain the difference between the 'furniture removers' and the 'shoot at list'? Also, was thinking of an example that is also less obvious and I am seeing conflicting examples... I help him: Le ayudo o lo ayudo. I asked my mexican friend and he said both jaja. I would love to hear your opinion. According to your explanation, it should be lo ayudo if I understand it correctly.
It should be Lo ayudo, but in Spain you'll mostly hear Le ayudo, except for maybe in Catalonia and the Canary Islands.
At time-mark 00:50, when Gordon is talking about the LE/LO “mystery”, I think he is referring to the “LE LO Pronouns. Gordon Throws a Tantrum” video from Oct 1, 2014. In THAT video, at time-mark 00:20, he talks about “taking the mystery out of the LE/LO situation”... you have to skip to time-mark 09:26 to get to where he discusses “furniture movers” and “shoot at” lists.
Here is a link to that video: ruclips.net/video/5El5ZmnJayk/видео.html
All I can say is, Gordon deserves a noble prize in teaching (if there is such a thing) .... they way he simplifies such seemingly complex stuff is awesome.
For me, I think the order of his videos for understanding indirect/direct object pronouns and verbs would be this:
LE LO Pronouns. Gordon Throws a Tantrum LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 1, 2014) (time-mark 09:26)
Spanish Pronouns. Getting the order right. LightSpeed Spanish (Nov 25, 2013)
The Uses of Spanish DIRECT Pronouns LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 24, 2014)
The Uses of Spanish INDIRECT Pronouns LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 22, 2014)
Is this Spanish Verb DIRECT or INDIRECT? LightSpeed Spanish (Oct 3, 2014)
Date-wise, they are out of order, but for me, for learning, I found this to be the best order.
Thanks Rick. That is very helpful. I agree, that he has done an excellent job explaining a complicated concept. I have started to teach Spanish to foreigners and I needed a concrete way to explain this stuff to them. I like the theories he shares to understand it.
Clear explanation
Gracias :)
Very good 👍👍👍
Great video!
Javonta Adams Gracias:)
The Chuckle Brothers list..to me ,to you,to me ,to you ,to him...hahahahahahaha
Having spent Months trying to get my head around the Direct and Indirect verbs I have just watched this video... FANTASTIC. Months of pulling my hair out explained in 19 mins... muchas gracias;)
TJ Network Gracias por tu comentario tan bonito. :)
Hi, I've got a question (not about this but related) about se+le, I get it when it's se+lo/ la as the se is just taking the place of le. What I struggle with is working out how se+le fit together the reflexive with the indirect. Nobody ever tackles this on youtube. It's always the easier se+lo/ la.
I can't think of any examples with se+le now but it always stumps me when I see them together. Any chance of a vid covering this in the future? Many thanks
Respondon I know the ones you mean. Se le cayó la taza. = The cup fell from him. Se le olvidó la cita. = He forgot the appointment. This is just a reflexive verb that is used to show an action happening to someone. In English we say, "on him" or "from him". Se le averió el coche. = The car broke down on him. He= LE is just the victim of the action. I will do a video on it to explain it more clearly.
Very helpful...
Thanks for your video it's very helpful, but I was a little confused when you said the sentence "Le prepara un café a su esposa" as wouldn't "le" be redundant there since the "le" is supposed to be in place of his wife? Or can you say that in Spanish?
Some verbs take the RIOP (Redundant Indirect Object Pronoun). With some verbs the IOP optional if you mention the person, like in this case -although it's more common with Le-, in other cases it's not optional, like with Decir. (Le dije a mi madre, Les dije a mis amigos, Le dije a Carlos...)
I'm chagrined for screwing up 'le' for the billionth time ;)
Further comments and your replies amply clarify my real question, which is that 'indirectness' varies by context. But I suppose some verbs, like 'dar' and 'decir', are very often indirect, where as 'hablar' for example _could_ be indirect, but much less commonly. So a bit like reflexive, no?
Greg Tomkins Hablar is an interesting verb. It often goes with 'con', rather than working with the Indirect pronouns. 'Ayer hablé con Pedro.'
Lo siento por el uso del ingles pero es complicada.Brilliant explanation as usual.One question.If I use the verb Enviar in a different context eg. "I sent the children away /or to school"-Does it then become a direct verb or is a different verb altogether used in spanish for this action.
bthoey Great question. Yes, the verb would change to direct...I would probably use Mandarlos a.
Excellent presentation on topic that has nagged me for years. He refers to Latin grammar in the beginning so maybe this is an area that has its roots in Latin?
I'm really pleased it helped you!
one more question! :) for a verb like 'preparar,' can this change from direct to indirect depending on context? 'lo prepara (un cafe)' vs. "le prepara un cafe a su marida' ? "he prepares it (the coffee)" vs "he prepares the coffee for her" ?
lo prepara un café. = he prepares HIM a coffee. (Direct)
le prepara un café a su marida= he prepares him a coffee TO HIS SPOUSE (indirect)
Its no longer for HIM, its for His SPOUSE now. the "him" gets in the way of the spouse receiving that coffee directly.
Hope this helps, and ask others this same question to get a good grip on it.
Barak Diaz Mark, I think what you are saying means perhaps I didn't explain myself fully. Preparar is an indirect verb if you are preparing something for someone else. Remember the system. If there is something between the two people, then it MUST be indirect. Therefore, if He prepares him a coffee, the coffee is in between. INDIRECT. Le prepara un café (a su amigo) To answer your other question, the A SU AMIGO is extra info for clarity. You can add or take away that info. However, you CANNOT take off the LE because of the redundant use of the pronpun with this verb. Look at this podcast to understand that. www.lightspeedspanish.co.uk/20130930-the-redundant-use-of-spanish-pronouns/
Thank you for your answers! This helped a lot. I have been confused by the necessity of 'le' for a while now.
Thank you thank you thank you! Please help me understand why gustar is indirect.
In English you say I like pineapples, in Spanish, however, we say (to me) pineapples are pleasing. So, instead of you being the one starting the liking you are the one receiving the "pleasing". I like cars= Me gustan los coches. Cynthia x.
¡Buen video!
Hi Gordon! I have a question regarding the video. Is a verb always direct or indirect in ALL situations? can't a verb be both depending on a sentence? for example, prepare (preparar). You can prepare something for your wife...that makes it an indirect verb. But you can also prepare your wife...now there is nothing coming between you.
Thanks in advance!
You are right. The context can make the verb direct or indirect. Preparo un café = lo preparo. Le preparo un café. = Se lo preparo. It's indirect when someone else is receiving something only.
Similar to bthoey; if I say 'I prepare a coffee' without mentioning anyone in particular, does that (1) make it direct, after all, or, (2) is this where we have the idea of an implied recipient, or (3) is the coffee the recipient of the action in this case? I think it would be 'le preparo un cafe' and (2)...
Greg Tomkins Greg. The indirect version kicks in when you make a coffee for someone. If not, it is a simple action.
Preparo un café. .. normal Me preparo un cafe...reflexive...te preparo un café...indirect
what you taught is it applicable in Latin America. i.e for the "le" i was told that i should use "lo" or "la"
Manuel 2unes You use lo/la for direct verbs and le for indirect verbs. However, many people have their own style. Just copy the people from the place you visit. If not, try to stick to the rules above.
Amazing!
the "trick" I am using to remember which are "direct", le lo la etc. is that if my girlfriend is named LOLA, I have a direct connection with her,.... might help someone else to wrap their head around the concept
william fuller That's great! I like it!
That’s brilliant! Thanks!
Hey Gordon, I liked the video but I'm still confused by things like the title of the song "no le pegue a la negra" in which le refers to "la negra" which I believe should be direct. I suppose you could say something in english like "I hit the ball to her" in which case her would be the indirect, but in the sentence "I hit him", him is the direct object (unless my english grammar is all messed up as well, lol).
+Dante Hoyte Hey, Dante. I think what happens with pegar is that you are actually giving the person something, ' a thump' 'una ostia', 'un guantazo' so it works as indirect rather than direct. What do you think?
I guess that makes sense. A Mexican friend of mine said it's because la negra is the direct and le is the indirect, although they still refer to the same object (not quite sure about this though). I like your answer better.
Another Venezuelan friend said it depends on the verb. For example, le quiero (i love her) and la amo (i love her). Sorry if this is causing mass confusion but I've been screwing up pronouns for a while and I'd like to get it right eventually. haha
Any insight into why it's le quiero rather than la quiero?
+Dante Hoyte Dante, both querer and amar need direct pronouns. If someone says 'le quiero' they are a leísta. It's not wrong because it's accepted by the academy, however, it isn't standard. It should be lo/la quiero.
+LightSpeed Spanish ok thanks, that one was confusing me.
Your a fk hero i can speak spanish fluent now but this was always a bit of a hard part for me. You dont talk around it hero ! U really want to help ppl.
Super, thx
In the movie Ted (español) when the kid says "Yo lo quiero" referring to Ted as an "it" (in the english version the kid says "I want it."), Ted gets offended and replies "¡Oye! Yo no soy un lo, soy un le. ¿Vale?" (in the english version he says 'Hey! I'm not an it pal, I'm a he. Alright?"). Based on what you're saying in the video, I think it would be fine to use "lo" in that case, but that's not really what I'm asking. I was just wondering if you had any insight into this particular instance. Thanks :)
James Donnellan Really, there is no way if distinguishing it and him in Spanish. Lo refers to both. It probably would have been better for them to try and work the dialogue into an Esto instead of an Este. That has the same feel as an it, genderless thing.
The film really mislead me then haha. Thank you :)
¡Que lección mas útil! I don't know how to link verbs in Spanish when there is a pronoun, por ejemplo: I (want) you (to do) me a favor. Te quiero hacerme un favor? Is this correct? There are cases when a subjunctive is used and sometimes they connect them using de or a. I might not have put that right but I hope you got the idea.
Saad Altuilaai The sentence you have given is a trigger for the subjunctive. It would be like this:
Quiero que ME hagas un favor. The structure in English is like this. "I want that FOR ME you do a favour. " Your sentence can't work because you have two people receiving the same action and no one doing it. Your sentence says " I want FOR YOU to do FOR ME a favour.
I want to do you a favour. ...this isn't a subjunctive trigger and is easier:
Quiero hacerte un favor. The structure is identical to English.
I hope I have helped a bit. :)
Saad Altuilaai You could say, "¿Quieres hacerme un favor?" meaning, "Can you do me a favour?"
Saad Altuilaai its quiero que me hagas un favor
Ok a friend of mine said that pegar is a transitive verb (which I believe means it takes 2 objects rather than 1). In this case the indirect object is "la negra" and according to my friend the direct object is una golpiza. So it's like dar, "I gave him a slap", "I pegared him a golpiza." Maybe. Anyone care to back me up on this?? :)
+Dante Hoyte transitive verbs can take one or more objects, not necessarily two. Pegar is a transitive verb, sometimes used as a pronominal verb (it takes a pronoun). Le pegué (tran. pron. verb) una golpiza (DO) a él (IO).
+LightSpeed Spanish Yeah transitive is all I could think of, forgot the word for verbs requiring two pronouns. Anyways, thanks for the confirmation. I now realize that's what you already said above. Thanks so much Gordon :)
Gordon, in "I talk to him", there is nothing between me and him, so it should be direct: "Lo hablo." But i thing it's indirect: "Le hablo." "Lo hablo" is "I speak IT". What is correct?
Yo diría Le hablo, o mejor hablo con él/ella (de cosas). Lo hablo lo usaría para I speak it. Hablo español, lo hablo. Cx
What about the verb "ayudar"? Is it direct or indirect? One often hears the expression, ¿En qué le puedo ayudar? This would indicate to me that it might be indirect but the indirect object is implied. Or is this a case of leísmo?
Ayudar es un verbo transitivo. ;)
A quick question about preparar. What if he's just preparing the coffee, is it "Él lo prepara", if we're just taking about preparing it.
+Von Morris Exactly. It's only indirect when some other person or persons are involved.
From 2.10 i love it.
:)
Can you explain why "El sombrero le queda perfectamente" uses the indirect object?
el sombrero is the direct object
the action quedar (fit) is happening TO the person.
TO WHO does this hat fit on?
it's a bit hard to explain, sorry.
let's use the 2 people and the thing getting in the way (icecream)
the 1st person is whoever 'le' is and the 2nd person is 'his head'
between fitting 'something' from him to his head there is 'something' in the way. thus indirect.
What??! El sombrero is the subject not the direct object, I know that much is 100% true.
@@bramble007 Agreed.
So anytime there's an interaction between 2 or more people that involves an object it's indirect?
Hola Gordon donde esta Cynthia? Se fue a espana? Porque No la he visto en un poco tiempo.
Danny Boy Hola. Lo que pasa es que ella estudia su universidad estos días. Sin embargo, hoy tenemos planeados unos videos.
so for the 'enviar' example, i can say 'le envio una tarjeta' AND 'le envio una tarjeta a mi madre' ? could I also just say 'envio una tarjeta a mi madre,' or is the 'le' necessary?
Mark Schneider No, Mark. You must use the LE. Check out the blog post I added to your other message.