Register  Login  Active Topics  Maps  

Meaning of LA and LO

  Tags: Spanish
 Language Learning Forum : Questions About Your Target Languages Post Reply
23 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3  Next >>
tuffy
Triglot
Senior Member
Netherlands
Joined 7036 days ago

1394 posts - 1412 votes 
Speaks: Dutch*, English, German
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 1 of 23
31 October 2005 at 2:42pm | IP Logged 
Another newbie question.

I thought la and lo meant "the" and "it".
But I have heard sentences where it seems to mean YOU.
For instance:

- Puedo llevarla (I can take you).
- No la he visto en mucho tiempo (I haven't seen you in a long time).

I don't like grammar so please keep it simple :)
Is it simply correct to use la also in this form then?
It can also mean "you"? And that la or lo refers to the person you're talking to then I gues. So to a woman you say: puedo lleverla and to a man lleverlo.


Also: is it correct that you can say: "Le puedo ayudar en algo?" AND "Puedo ayudarle en algo?".
So you can put that LE in front of the verb or merge them? I like the second version more, it's easier and quicker. But the first version is used by Pimsleur.





Edited by tuffy on 31 October 2005 at 2:43pm

1 person has voted this message useful



Sir Nigel
Senior Member
United States
Joined 7106 days ago

1126 posts - 1102 votes 
2 sounds

 
 Message 2 of 23
31 October 2005 at 4:53pm | IP Logged 
In those two sentences on the top, you're using the direct object pronouns. Not that everyone follows this rule, when saying "you" as in the direct object, you either use Lo or La. As mentioned on another topic that some prefer to use the indirect form Le for additional politeness. You can refresh your knowledge of direct object pronouns here.
1 person has voted this message useful



dadafeig
Diglot
Groupie
United States
Joined 6988 days ago

82 posts - 83 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: German, Dutch

 
 Message 3 of 23
31 October 2005 at 6:03pm | IP Logged 
Thanks for the site I always had trouble with object pronouns.
1 person has voted this message useful



Andy E
Triglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 7105 days ago

1651 posts - 1939 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, French

 
 Message 4 of 23
01 November 2005 at 3:20am | IP Logged 
tuffy wrote:
Also: is it correct that you can say: "Le puedo ayudar en algo?" AND "Puedo ayudarle en algo?".
So you can put that LE in front of the verb or merge them? I like the second version more, it's easier and quicker. But the first version is used by Pimsleur.


In these examples, both are possible. I think somewhere I read that placing them in front is more common in native speech (but that may be complete rubbish).

However, if you find it easier and more "natural" to place the pronoun after, then stick with it.

Andy.

1 person has voted this message useful



patuco
Diglot
Moderator
Gibraltar
Joined 7017 days ago

3795 posts - 4268 votes 
Speaks: Spanish, English*
Personal Language Map

 
 Message 5 of 23
01 November 2005 at 3:43am | IP Logged 
tuffy wrote:
"Le puedo ayudar en algo?" AND "Puedo ayudarle en algo?".


The first form is considered more formal whereas the second form is more colloquial, even though they are both polite versions. I suppose that's why Pimsleur uses it.
1 person has voted this message useful



tuffy
Triglot
Senior Member
Netherlands
Joined 7036 days ago

1394 posts - 1412 votes 
Speaks: Dutch*, English, German
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 6 of 23
01 November 2005 at 4:35am | IP Logged 
Gracias por ayudarme, I get it now.
1 person has voted this message useful



tuffy
Triglot
Senior Member
Netherlands
Joined 7036 days ago

1394 posts - 1412 votes 
Speaks: Dutch*, English, German
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 7 of 23
02 November 2005 at 2:15am | IP Logged 
Just one last thing:

I just looked up a sentence, how to say "I want to see you". The translation program said "Quiero verle".
But with the above in mind, I thus can also say: "Quiero verla" to my female friend?

So I want to see you can be translated as: "Quiero verle" and "Quiero verla" when talking to a woman?

(And when using verlE I can add a tu, or a usted for beeing more specific?)

Tuffy



Edited by tuffy on 02 November 2005 at 2:16am

1 person has voted this message useful



Andy E
Triglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 7105 days ago

1651 posts - 1939 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, French

 
 Message 8 of 23
02 November 2005 at 2:23am | IP Logged 
tuffy wrote:
Just one last thing:

I just looked up a sentence, how to say "I want to see you". The translation program said "Quiero verle".
But with the above in mind, I thus can also say: "Quiero verla" to my female friend?

So I want to see you can be translated as: "Quiero verle" and "Quiero verla" when talking to a woman?


Also quiero verlo when talking to a man. Remember that verle is an example of leísmo - the use le instead of lo when referring to a male person.

tuffy wrote:
(And when using verlE I can add a tu, or a usted for beeing more specific?)?


You can add a usted but remember when it's that it would be quiero verte.

Andy.




1 person has voted this message useful



This discussion contains 23 messages over 3 pages: 2 3  Next >>


Post ReplyPost New Topic Printable version Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum - You cannot reply to topics in this forum - You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum - You cannot create polls in this forum - You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page was generated in 0.4375 seconds.


DHTML Menu By Milonic JavaScript
Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved
No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization.