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The Personal a in Spanish

Whenever a person is the object of a sentence in Spanish, the word a (which can literally mean "to," "at," etc., depending upon the context) must be included prior to the person. This is called the "personal a" in English and the "a personal" in Spanish.

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What is an Object?

In both English and Spanish, the subject of a sentence is the person or thing that performs an action and the object is the person or thing that receives it. For example, in the English sentence "Edison ate cake," "Edison" is the subject and "cake" is the object. And in the sentence "Gonzalo hugged Eva," "Gonzalo" is the subject while "Eva" is the object. So, while the translation for the first example, Edison comió torta, would not require the personal a, the second one would since Eva is a person: Gonzalo abrazó a Eva​.

 

Examples of the Personal a

Now that we understand a bit how the personal works, let's see a few examples where the same verb in the same tense either has a personal or doesn't, depending upon whether the object of the sentence is a person. You will note that there is no direct translation for the personal a in the English sentences. 

 

Ver:

 

Pero yo vi sombras.

But I saw shadows.

Caption 26, Tu Voz Estéreo Feliz Navidad - Part 4

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Yo vi a Pablo Escobar,

I saw Pablo Escobar

Caption 28, Los Tiempos de Pablo Escobar Capítulo 2 - Part 8

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Entender:

 

me di cuenta que no entendía todos los conceptos

I realized that I didn't understand all the concepts

Caption 73, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya

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De verdad, en ese momento no entendía a las niñas.

Really, at that moment, I didn't understand girls.

Caption 53, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 11 - Part 6

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Conocer:

 

Conocí las islas Barú de... de Colombia

I visited the Barú Islands in... in Colombia

Caption 89, Cleer y Lida Juego de preguntas y respuestas - Part 2

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Conocí a María ayer.

I met María yesterday.

Caption 22, Lecciones con Carolina Saber y conocer

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Using the Personal a with Pronouns

When a pronoun like alguien (someone), nadie (no one/anyone), quien, alguno/a(s) (some/someobody/one),  or ninguno/a(s) (none/no one/any) replace a person or people as the direct object in a sentence, the personal is used as well:

 

No queremos alarmar a nadie.

We don't want to alarm anyone.

Caption 52, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 8

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Perdón, eh, ¿busca a alguien?

Excuse me, um, are you looking for someone?

Caption 1, Muñeca Brava 8 Trampas - Part 10

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Todos los años, tengo que reñir a alguno.

Every year, I have to tell someone off.

Caption 46, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 10

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Additional Uses of the Personal a

The personal a is also used with animals or inanimate objects when the person speaking about them "personifies" them or has affection for them. One example is pets:

 

¿Federico te regaló a Zazén? 

Did Federico give you Zazen?

Caption 9, Tu Voz Estéreo Laura - Part 6

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However, if an animal is not a pet, the personal a is not used:
 

Generalmente acá se ven elefantes marinos 

Generally, here you see elephant seals

Caption 37, Perdidos en la Patagonia La Punta Cantor

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Another example could be one's country:
 

Me fascina, quiero ayudar a mi país,

I love it. I want to help my country

Caption 24, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Manuel Orozco Sánchez - Part 1

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And someone might even have a particular affection for some other inanimate object:

 

Yo amo a mi carro. -Se nota. -Único, bello.

I love my car. -You can see that. -Unique, beautiful.

Caption 97, Encuentro Volkswagen en Adícora Escarabajos en la playa - Part 2

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This is definitely the exception to the rule, though. In most cases, the personal a would not be used with such inanimate objects:

 

Vaya a lavar el auto, por favor!

Go to wash the car, please!

Caption 31, Muñeca Brava 30 Revelaciones - Part 5

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When Not to Use the Personal a

The Verb Tener

The personal a is not generally used with the verb tener:

 

¿Tienes hijos? -No.

Do you have children? -No.

Caption 87, Adícora, Venezuela El tatuaje de Rosana

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However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. One is when one has an emotional or close relationship with someone:

 

Tengo a Alejandrita que tiene diez y James que tiene diecinueve.

I have little Alejandra who is ten and James who is nineteen.

Captions 59-60, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 20

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Another is when someone is physically holding someone:

 

Él tenía a mi hija en sus brazos

He had my daughter in his arms.

 

A third is when one "has" someone "somewhere":

 

Teníamos a los gemelos en una clase de baile

We had the twins in a dance class. 

 

The Verb Haber

The personal a is not used with the verb haber, either:

 

hay muchas personas que se oponen a que haya paz en Colombia.

there are many people who are opposed to there being peace in Colombia.

Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 9 - Part 1

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había una mujer que podía ser la protagonista de mi canción.

there was a woman who could be the main character of my song.

Captions 48-49, Luis Guitarra Historia de Lucía - Part 2

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In conclusion, although the personal a in Spanish can be a bit counterintuitive for English speakers since we don't have anything like it, we hope that this lesson has helped you to understand what it is and when it is and isn't used, and... don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments,

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Football/Soccer Vocabulary Words in Spanish

These days, it feels like football or soccer (as it is known in the US) is everywhere! Are you enjoying the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France? What about the exciting Copa América? Are you following the Total Africa Cup of Nations? If you like the game and want to expand your Spanish vocabulary of football terms, this lesson introduces some of the most common football/soccer vocabulary words in Spanish.

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First things first. The Spanish word for football or soccer is fútbol, a word whose stress goes on the second-to-last syllable:

 

Y este... y juego al fútbol también a veces.

And well... I also play soccer sometimes.

Caption 11, Bajofondo Tango Club - Mar Dulce

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However, in Mexico and other places across Central America people usually say futbol, with the stress on the last syllable:

 

Antes también jugué al futbol.

Before, I also played football.

Caption 28, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Manuel Orozco Sánchez

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By the way, if you are American and you are wondering how to say “football” in Spanish, the answer to that is fútbol americano.

 

Football positions in Spanish

 

From the word fútbol, we got the word futbolista (football player / soccer player). We can also use the term jugador as an alternative to futbolista. As a general rule, un equipo de fútbol (a soccer team) has eleven players (futbolistas / jugadores) on the field. Let’s see the names of the different kinds of players that you see in a typical partido de fútbol (soccer game / soccer match):

 

Portero, arquero, guardameta (goalkeeper)

Defensor (defender)

Mediocampista, centrocampista, volante (midfielder)

Delantero, atacante (forward)

 

You can also find various and more specific names for the different players in the field. For instance, in the defense you can hear names like the following:

 

Defensa central (central defender)

Lateral derecho (right back)

Lateral izquierdo (left back)

 

By the way, you can use the terms campo de juego, cancha de fútbol or terreno de juego to refer to the playing field.

 

Mirá a Carlitos. La ves en la cancha de fútbol y no te imaginás.

Look at Carlitos. You see her on the soccer field and you can't imagine.

Caption 27, Muñeca Brava - 8 Trampas

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In terms of other people that are involved in the game, we also have the following:

 

Árbitro (referee)

Juez de línea (assistant referee)

Entrenador (coach)

Suplente (substitute player) 

El capitán del equipo (the captain of the team)

 

Keep in mind that substitute players sit on the banca or banquillo (bench). And let’s not forget about the fans who sit in the estadio (stadium). You can call them hinchas or aficionados or you can also use the corresponding collective nouns hinchada or afición (a group of fans).

 

How to say soccer ball in Spanish… and goal!

 

If you want to say soccer ball in Spanish, you can either use balón de fútbol or pelota de fútbol. Or simply, pelota or balón. Some people call the soccer ball esférico.

 

And what about that magical moment when the ball enters the goal (the netted structure behind the goalkeeper)? Of course, we are talking about the goal, which in Spanish is called gol… or as many Latin sportscasters would very loudly say: ¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! Another option you may hear for the term goal is the word tanto.

 

By the way, there are many words you can use in Spanish to talk about the goal (the netted structure). You can refer to as la portería, el arco or la valla. Each one of the two vertical goal posts is called palo or poste while the horizontal crossbar is called travesaño or larguero. Also, the small area that the goalkeeper guards (the goal area) is known in Spanish as área chica or área de meta. The bigger area (the penalty area) is known as área de penal.

 

There are many more things that are connected to the game. Let’s learn some more words:

 

El pito (the whistle)

Las botas de fútbol, los guayos, los botines de fútbol (soccer shoes)

Los tacos (the studs)

Las canilleras or las espinilleras (shin guards)

La camiseta (the t-shirt)

La copa (the cup)

El Mundial (the World Cup)

 

Campeonato europeo de fútbol, Mundial en Sudáfrica...

The European soccer championship, the World Cup in South Africa...

Caption 26, Marta - Se presenta

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Tarjeta amarilla (yellow card)

Tarjeta roja (red card)

Bandera (flag)

El césped (the pitch / the grass)

Mediocampo or media cancha (midfield)

Los vestidores, los camerinos (locker rooms)

 

Playing the game

 

Now, when it comes to playing the game, there are many calls and moves that are part of a standard game. Let’s learn some of those football/soccer vocabulary words in Spanish:

 

Saque inicial (kickoff)

Saque lateral (throw-in)

Saque de meta (goal kick)

La asistencia (the assistance)

Un pase (a pass)

Un pase largo (a long pass)

Un cabezazo (a header)

Córner or tiro de esquina (corner)

Fuera de lugar or fuera de juego (offside)

Falta (foul)

Fútbol de toque (a passing game)

La jugada (the move)

La lesión (the injury)

El marcador (the score)

El medio tiempo or el descanso (halftime)

La ocasión (the chance)

Penalti (penalty)

La prórroga (the extra time)

Regate (dribble)

El tiro or el disparo (the shot)

Tiro libre (free throw)

Un error (a mistake)

Una remontada (a comeback)

Victoria (victory)

Empate (tie)

Derrota (defeat)

 

Soccer verbs in Spanish

Now, it is time to review some of those verbs you can easily hear if you watch a soccer/football game in Spanish.

 

Aprovechar (take advantage)

Arbitrar (to referee)

Atacar (to attack)

Buscar (to look for)

Caer (to fall)

Calentar (to warm up)

 

El entrenador nos ordena calentar antes de cada partido de fútbol.

The coach orders us to warm up before each soccer match.

Caption 44, Lecciones con Carolina - Pedir, preguntar, y ordenar

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Clasificar (to classify)

Correr (to run)

Defender (to defend)

Derrotar (to defeat)

Disputar (to play, to fight for)

Eliminar (to eliminate)

Empatar (to tie)

Ganar (to win)

Igualar (to even)

Imponerse (to prevail)

Intentar (to try)

Jugar (to play)

Marcar (to score or to defend)

Pelear (to fight)

Perder (to lose)

Recuperar (to recover)

Reponerse (to recover)

Romper (to break)

Seguir (to follow)

Sudar (to sweat)

 

En el campo de fútbol, empecé a sudar.

On the soccer field, I started to sweat.

Caption 11, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 2

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Toparse (to run/bump into)

Tirar, chutar (to shoot) 

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That's it for this lesson. We hope you enjoy this brief guide to some of the most common football/soccer vocabulary words in Spanish. Are there any words/terms that we didn’t mention? Please, let us know and don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.

 

Andar bien

The verb andar usually conveys meanings related to movement. Depending on the context, it can mean "to walk," "to work," or even "to ride." However, the verb andar is also used to talk about actions that are more often expressed with the verb estar (to be). Let's see how all this works.

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First, andar means "to walk":
 

Si tienes unas piernas fuertes y ganas de andar,

If you have some strong legs and feel like walking,

te lo recomiendo mucho.

I highly recommend it to you.

Captions 102-103, Blanca - Cómo moverse en Barcelona

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It can also be used to express movement, in which case it's better translated as "to go" or even "to ride":
 

Y por dondequiera que ando, tu recuerdo va conmigo.

And wherever I go, your memory goes with me.

Captions 16-17, El Ausente - Acto 1

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Yo ando en bici y tú andas en motocicleta.
ride a bike and you ride a motorcycle.

When you use it to refer to the functioning of a machine or any sort of gadget, andar means "to work":

La lavadora no anda. | El carro anda bien. | La bicicleta no anda.
The washing machine doesn't work. | The car works well. | The bicycle doesn't work.

Spanish speakers also use the verb andar instead of the verb estar (to be). For example:
 

Me ha gustado, pues, el arte del circo, entonces por eso ando aquí.

I have liked, well, the circus arts, so that's why I'm here.

Caption 4, Circo Infantil de Nicaragua - Learning the Trade

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¿Dónde anduviste hoy?

Where have you been today?

Caption 9, Yago - 1 La llegada

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(Notice andar conjugates as tener (to have). Don't say "andé"!)

It can be used to express the state of being of a person, or an affair:
 

Tío, ¿qué pasa, hombre, cómo andas?

Pal, what's up, guy? How are you?

Caption 65, Animales en familia - La operación de Yaki

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Es que, bueno, las cosas, bueno... no andan bien.

The thing is that, well, things, well... are not going well.

Caption 21, Muñeca Brava - 8 Trampas

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Ando cansado. | Ella anda un poco triste últimamente.
I am tired. / I am feeling tired. | She has been a bit sad lately.

It is common to use andar for a state of being you have been feeling for some time and to use it with adverbs such as “lately” or “these days.”

Andar can replace estar when used as an auxiliary verb too:
 

Ando buscando un dormitorio más. (could also be: Estoy buscando un dormitorio más)

I'm looking for one more bedroom.

Caption 18, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 12

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To say estar buscando and andar buscando is really the same. You hear Spanish speakers using them interchangeably all the time. If anything, using andar just adds a sense of vagueness or indetermination to the action. That's why it's commonly used to make estimations, for example:
 

Y ahora andarán sobre los, eh...

And now they would be about, um...

tres mil ochocientos, cuatro mil.

three thousand eight hundred, four thousand.

Captions 46-47, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 13

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Here is another example:
 

¿Cómo explicarte lo que ando pensando(could also be estoy pensando)

How to explain to you what I'm thinking?

Caption 2, Los Tetas - Como Quisiera Decirte

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So, while estoy pensando means "I'm thinking (right now)," ando pensando means "I'm thinking (right now but also maybe before that)." Again, in this context, both verbs mean exactly the same. 

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