All That Glitters: Direct Object Pronouns
Jewelry may be the perfect souvenir or gift. It's easy to pack for the return trip, beautiful, often unique to a location, and available in price ranges to suit every budget. How can you go wrong with a lovely pair of earrings to remind you of your trip to Oaxaca every time you put them on? Let's take a minute to learn some basic jewelry vocabulary.
Jewelry terminology varies from country to country, but most terms are understood even when a different word is used locally. And, when you're shopping, it's easy to point out what you're referring to.
Be aware, however, that not everything that glitters is gold. Look for gold and silver marks on a piece of jewelry before you pay gold and silver prices. Gold-plated jewelry is
The word for earrings in Puerto Rico is unique in the Spanish-speaking world. They are called
Let's take a moment now to review the names of some stones as well before we go on our shopping spree.
Some of these stones are especially common, and good values, in certain countries. For example, fire opal (
Can I See It?
You know that the direct object in a sentence is the thing that receives the effect of the verb directly. Let's imagine a shopping situation in which you would use direct objects and direct object pronouns:
Remember that the direct object pronouns are gender and number specific. Watch how the examples change for different items.
Listen to each example on Track 62 as you follow along in the text. Repeat each sentence or question after you hear it.
(I like some earrings in the window.)
(Can I see them?)
(I like a watch in the window.)
(I like some bracelets in the window.)
If you can't remember what an item is called, you can simply say you “saw something in the window and you would like to see it better”:
Complete each sentence with the appropriate direct object pronoun. Then check your answers in Appendix D.
Ese collar es muy bonito. Quisiera ver __________ Hay una sortija que me gusta en la vitrina. ¿ __________puedo ver? Esos relojes son muy elegantes. Me gustaría ver __________. La perla en este arete no es muy buena. Si usted __________cambia, compraré los aretes. Estas pulseras son perfectas para Susana. Voy a comprar __________para ella.
Not That One, This One
Of course, you remember the demonstratives: this, that, and those over there. Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns are as handy for shopping as direct object pronouns. As the salesperson points to various items trying to figure out which one you want to see, you can use demonstratives to help direct her to the article you mean, like this:
Shopper:
Salesperson:
Shopper:
Salesperson:
Shopper:
Salesperson:
Shopper:
Salesperson:
Shopper:
And that's how you get what you want with demonstratives and direct object pronouns.
Audio Practice: Shopping
Now it's your turn. Imagine that you are in a shop looking at earrings. Listen to the salesperson and complete the dialog by translating your lines from English to Spanish. You can find the complete dialog written out in Appendix D. For extra practice, listen again and repeat the sample responses.
Good afternoon. There is a pendant in the window that I like.
I like that one with lapis.
Hmm. Yes, this one is pretty but I prefer that larger one.
That one over there, please.
Yes, the stone is beautiful. I like this pendant very much. I'll buy it.
Remember that the demonstrative adjective has no accent mark, but the demonstrative pronoun does:
