5

Please read the following sentence:

Tras años de litigios, en tres semanas, esas monedas de oro y plata estarán en donde les corresponde es decir, en nuestro país.

What does "les" mean? If we don´t use "les", how can we rewrite the sentence?

1 Answer 1

3

"Les" is a personal pronoun that works here as an indirect-object (dative). It refers here to the coins (monedas).

"donde les corresponde (estar) = where it suits them (to be) = it's appropiate for/to them (to be)"

In this particular example, I think that the pronoun could be omitted "estarán donde corresponde" - it actually sounds a little better to me, the meaning is slightly different (the verb "corresponder" refers more to the situation than to the coins: "where it's appropiate") but in this context it's equivalent.

3
  • @leonboy: I am still confused. In "appropriate for them", isn't "them" is the direct object? If it is the indirect object, who is the direct object? Thanks!
    – user468
    Feb 4, 2012 at 15:39
  • 1
    @Cadenza: i'm no expert in english grammar, i'm extrapolating from spanish... But i'd say it's the indirect object (the object of the dative case). Replace "to be appropiate for" with "to suit" or "to fit". In the phrase "This shirt fits you", "you" is the indirect object. The verb does not require a direct object, as it's not transitive.
    – leonbloy
    Feb 4, 2012 at 15:58
  • @leonboy: Thanks for your explanation. I think I am a bit clear now. Could you please give me more similar examples?
    – user468
    Feb 4, 2012 at 16:08

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.