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Saying who receives the action: ‘lo’ and ‘la’ in object-first sentences��PART 2: OVS (Object-Verb-Subject) order �with an overt subject but object pronoun only �e.g. lo llama la mujer)

Nick Avery and Emma Marsden

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Saying who receives the action (part 2):�‘lo’ and ‘la’ in object-first sentences

In English, we can use words like ‘him’, ‘her, and ‘it’(pronouns) to avoid repeating nouns.

Which sentence sounds more normal?

  1. Lucy called Mark, then Lucy met Mark. Lucy then invited Mark for coffee and Lucy bought Mark a sandwich.

  • Lucy called Mark, then met him. She invited him for coffee and bought him a sandwich.

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Spanish also has such words!

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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Saying who receives the action (part 2):�‘lo’ and ‘la’ in object-first sentences

If the object is masculine, use ‘lo’:

La mujer llama al hombre.

Lo llama la mujer.�

If the object is feminine, use ‘la’:

El hombre llama a la mujer.

La llama el hombre.

Notice that, unlike in English, the pronoun normally goes before the verb.

You have already seen that, in Spanish, the object can come first.�E.g., Al hombre lo llama la mujer. �

🡪 The man calls her.

🡪 The man calls the woman.

🡪 The woman calls the man.

🡪 The woman calls him.

This can be confusing because ‘la’ means ‘the’ when it comes before a noun.

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

(literally, ‘Him calls the woman.’)

(literally, ‘Her calls the man.’)

🡪 The woman calls the man.

🡪 The woman calls him.

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Rachel Hawkes

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Saying who receives the action (part 2):�‘lo’ and ‘la’ in object-first sentences

Remember that all nouns have gender in Spanish:

Use ‘lo’ to mean ‘it’ if the object is masculine:

La mujer hace el examen.

Lo hace la mujer.

Use ‘la’ to mean ‘it’ if the object is feminine:

El hombre hace la carta.

La hace el hombre.

🡪 The man makes it.

🡪 The man makes the card.

🡪 The woman does the exam.

🡪 The woman does it.

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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The president has a personal assistant at the White House.

Read the following sentences to find out about their Mondays.

El presidente y el asistente

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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1

El presidente observa al asistente.

2

Lo escucha el asistente.

3

El presidente saluda al asistente.

4

Lo ayuda el presidente.

5

Lo llama el asistente.

6

El asistente sigue al presidente.

7

Lo saca de la oficina el asistente.

8

El presidente despierta al asistente.

9

Lo lleva a una reunion el presidente.

10

El asistente contacta al presidente.

True

False

The president observes the assistant.

Los lunes

The assistant listens to the president.

The assistant greets the president.

The assistant helps the president.

The assistant calls the president.

The president follows the assistant.

The assistant takes the president out of the office.

The president wakes the assistant up.

The president takes the assistant to a meeting.

The president contacts the assistant.

leer

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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Now listen to what they do on Fridays.��Who does what?

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

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Rachel Hawkes

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The president does it

The assistant does it

1. watch the other person

2. listen to the other person

3. greet the other person

4. help the other person

5. call the other person

6. follow the other person

7. take the other out of office

8. wake up the other person

9. contact the other person

10. take the other to a meeting

escuchar

Los viernes

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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Monty is no ordinary dog!

�He is María’s best four-legged friend.

Read the sentences about things they do on Mondays.

Then decide if each statement is true or false.

leer

Monty and María

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

True

False

Is this normal?

La lleva al parque.

La lava.

La despierta.

Lo observa cuando duerme.

Lo saca de la casa.

La lleva al colegio.

Lo saluda.

Lo sigue a la cocina.

La besa.

La observa atentamente.

leer

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

He takes her to the park.

She washes him.

She greets him.

He watches her as she sleeps.

She takes him out of the house.

He takes her to school.

He wakes her up.

He follows her to the kitchen.

He kisses her.

She watches him closely.

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Rachel Hawkes

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Now listen to what they do on Thursdays.

Decide which picture matches the sentence.

escuchar

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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A las seis de la mañana…

escuchar

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

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Rachel Hawkes

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A

B

¿Esto es normal?

escuchar

1

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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A

B

escuchar

2

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

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Rachel Hawkes

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A

B

escuchar

3

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

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Rachel Hawkes

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A

B

escuchar

4

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

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Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

5

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

A

B

¿Esto es normal?

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Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

A

B

6

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

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Rachel Hawkes

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Más tarde, María llega a casa…

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

7

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

A

B

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

8

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

B

A

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

9

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

B

A

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

10

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

¿Esto es normal?

A

B

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Rachel Hawkes

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What about non-school days?

Listen to each sentence.

Write down what is happening in English.

escuchar

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

1

2

3

4

5

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

1

3

4

2

5

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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escuchar

6

7

8

9

10

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

6

7

9

10

8

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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hablar / escuchar

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Now tell the story yourself!

Student A:�Use the prompt cards to tell the story (in order, from 1-10).�

Student B:�Listen and take notes – what is the sequence of events?

Then compare the notes and pictures

Be careful! It isn’t in the same order as before.

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Rachel Hawkes

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Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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Need help?

Verbs

  • s/he wakes [someone] up – despierta
  • s/he kisses – besa
  • s/he follows – sigue
  • s/he watches – mira, observa
  • s/he takes [someone] out – saca
  • s/he greets – saluda
  • s/he takes [someone somewhere] – lleva
  • s/he washes – lava

hablar / escuchar

Nouns

  • kitchen – cocina
  • park – parque
  • bed – cama

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes

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Now create your own story!

Choose ten pictures. Each must have a different action.

Write a sentence for each one.

Choose your sequence of events!

escribir

Nick Avery / Emma Marsden

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Rachel Hawkes