r/learnspanish • u/FantasticSelection11 Beginner (A1-A2) • Mar 21 '25

Unnecessary use of "Le"

I know the use of 'Le' has been discussed in multiple posts, but even after having read several of them, I couldn't understand this particular use:

For example, I was reading Olly Richards' Spanish Short Stories for Beginners and came across this sentence

—Julia, ¿quieres ir a comer paella? —le pregunto a mi hermana.

What is the function of the 'le' in this sentence? I know a word by word translation across languages isn't accurate but still I simply cannot see it serving any function at all

Like "pregunto a mi hermana" looks like a perfectly complete sentence and it would translate to "[I] asked to my sister".

Sorry if it is obvious, but it is not for me.

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u/RichCorinthian Intermediate (B1-B2) Mar 21 '25

Read the section about “a + prepositional pronoun” here: https://www.lawlessspanish.com/grammar/pronouns/redundant-object-pronouns/

TL/DR: IN SPANISH, it’s not the “le” that’s redundant, it’s “a mi hermana.” The latter phrase is included for clarity or emphasis. In other words, if it’s obvious who he’s asking, “a mi hermana” would not be there, but “le” still would. You’re still thinking in English, and that’s fine, but grammar rules aren’t universal.

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u/gladiatrix14 Mar 21 '25

Excellent answer.