Question

In English, explain when the "personal a" is used in a Spanish sentence. (This is different than "a" when it translates to "to/at.")

Answer 1

The "personal a" in Spanish is used before a direct object that refers to a specific person or pet that is being directly affected by the action of the verb. It is used to show that the person or pet is important or personal to the subject of the sentence. For example, in the sentence "Yo veo a mi madre," the "a" is used before "mi madre" to show that the mother is the specific person being seen. It is not used when the direct object is an inanimate object or does not refer to a specific person or pet.