4.17 Redundant personal pronouns

in English the word order is quite strict. In general it is: subject - verb - object.
I go to school. He eats my steak. We have fun. It is rather unusual or even poetic to say

To school I go. My steak he eats. Fun we have.

In Spanish the word order is not that strict and constructions where the object is in the beginning of the sentence are quite common. If such a construction with a leading object is used the personal pronoun of the object must be repeated before the verb.

 

  redundant personal pronouns with leading direct and indirect object

Las casas no las va a comprar nunca.

These houses he will not buy them.
Esta comida no la va a comer nunca. This food he will not eat it.
A este hombre no le voy a dar nada. This man, I do not give him anything.


I n English the pronoun (in the example them, it, anything) are redundant. In Spanish you just can't "forget" to repeat the pronouns. That would be false.

  Example

  false:

 

correct:
Las casas no va a comprar nunca. Las casas no las va a comprar nunca.
  El libro leo.
(The book I read = I read the book)
El libro lo leo.
(The book I read it = I read the book)
  El zumo de naranja bebes. (The orange juice you drink = You drink the orange juice) El zumo de naranja lo bebes. (The orange juice you drink it = You drink the orange juice)






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