Direct and Indirect Objects, Attributes, and Predicative Complements in Spanish Grammar

Posted on Sep 26, 2024 in Latin

Direct and Indirect Objects in Spanish

The direct object (CD) accompanies transitive verbs like “say,” “bring,” or “write.” It can be a noun phrase (e.g., “the truth”) or a prepositional phrase headed by “a” (e.g., “to your brother”). To identify the CD:

  1. Replace it with an unstressed pronoun (me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las): I told the truth becomes I told it.
  2. Transform the sentence to passive voice: Maria met your boyfriend becomes Your boyfriend was met by Maria.

Sometimes, redundancy occurs with double CDs: The gift that you buy today.

The CD also appears with the verb “to be” and expressions of temperature: That heat is in the Canary Islands!

Indirect Object

The indirect object (CI) is a prepositional phrase with “a” or “para,” or a pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les). To recognize it:

  1. Switch pronouns: Laura likes nougat (no CI), Alice wrote a letter to her grandparents (CI).
  2. Change to combined pronouns: Write the letter to your grandparents becomes Write it to them or Write them the letter.

Attributes and Predicative Objects

Attributes appear with copulative verbs like “be,” “seem,” or “become.” The predicative complement describes the subject:

  • Noun phrase: Luis is a doctor.
  • Prepositional phrase: Luis is in Pamplona.
  • Adjective phrase: Rocio is smart.
  • Adverb phrase: My students are thus.

Note: Rocio is here is not an attribute because it indicates location, not a quality.

Attributes can be replaced by neutral pronouns: Luis is it.

Predicative Object

The predicative object (PVO) can refer to the subject (subjective) or the verbal predicate (objective):

  • Adjective phrase: The judge found the evidence insufficient.
  • Noun phrase: The council appointed the chairman a deputy.
  • Comparative construction: Magazines consider Paul Newman as the best actor of the 50s.

Pronouns and Verb Types

Pronoun Values

  • CD Pronoun: Reflexive or reciprocal: Luisa dresses herself., Lovers see each other every day.
  • CI Pronoun: Intransitive sentences: The girl placed an ornament in her hair. Reciprocal: The couple send each other letters.
  • Ethical Dative: Adds emphasis: Luis ate himself all the grass.

Grammatical Morpheme

Pronominal verbs have a grammatical morpheme (e.g., -se):

  1. Pure pronominal verbs: Exist only with the morpheme (e.g., repent).
  2. Double verbs: Exist with and without the morpheme, with different meanings (e.g., go/go away).
  3. Verbs with split personality: Always intransitive (e.g., go away).

Reflexive Passive

Used with 3rd person singular/plural, transitive verbs, inanimate subjects. The verb is conjugated in the active voice but has a passive meaning: Perfumes are extracted from plants.

Impersonal “Se”

Used with 3rd person singular, transitive or intransitive verbs, without a subject: It is lived well here!

Differences between Reflexive Passive and Impersonal “Se”

  • Reflexive Passive: 3rd person singular/plural, transitive verb, subject is the patient, active voice.
  • Impersonal “Se”: 3rd person singular, transitive or intransitive verb, no subject.

Simple enunciative sentence, yes, two-member, predicative, transitive, no pronouns, active.