Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

This is exemplified below:

1 ¿Conoce usted a mi colega Julio Prado? (see 29.4)
Have you met my colleague Julio Prado?
Criticaron muy duramente al comité.
They criticized the committee severely.
El buen ciudadano ama a su patria.
A good citizen loves his country.

Respetemos a la justicia.

Let us respect justice.

But:

un coche que lleva cinco personas

a car which carries five people

2 ¡Ven a ver a mi cachorrito!
Come and see my little puppy!

But:

El gato cogió el gorrión.

The cat caught the sparrow.

Comimos pollo.

We ate chicken.

3 Busco a mi amigo.
I’m looking for my friend.
Conocí a tres rusos en Lisboa.
I met three Russians in Lisbon.

But:

Favouring use of a Not favouring use of a

2 Animals kept as pets Animals in general, and especially

those having a practical function or

used for food

3 People viewed as specific individuals Nouns referring to a class of people

(especially with the indefinite

article)

4 A number of verbs which denote the

strong influence of the subject on the

object, even when the object is not

‘personal’

Verbs which express a general

relation between subject and object,

even when the object is ‘personal’

5 To resolve potential ambiguity with

verbs expressing a relation of

precedence, even when the object is

not ‘personal’

To resolve potential ambiguity

where the verb also has a ‘personal’

direct object and also a ‘personal’

indirect object

Basic use of prepositions 25.1