Mi abuelo nos da un regalo especial.

My grandfather gives us a special gift.

Breakdown of Mi abuelo nos da un regalo especial.

• mi: my
• especial: special
• el regalo: the gift
• el abuelo: the grandfather
• dar: to give

Questions & Answers about Mi abuelo nos da un regalo especial.

Why is nos used instead of a nosotros or para nosotros in this sentence?

In Spanish, nos is the indirect object pronoun meaning to us or for us. Instead of saying Mi abuelo da un regalo a nosotros, native speakers commonly use nos, which is shorter and more natural.

How do I know that da is the correct form of the verb dar here?

The verb dar changes according to the subject. In this sentence, the subject is Mi abuelo (third-person singular, he), so we use da. If you were talking about they, you would use dan; if you were talking about I, you would use doy.

Why does especial come after regalo? Could it come before?

In Spanish, most adjectives come after the noun, so un regalo especial is a natural word order. You could place especial before regalo, but it might subtly change the nuance, making it more emphatic or stylistic.

Why is un used here instead of el?

Using the indefinite article un emphasizes that it is a special gift, not necessarily a known or previously mentioned gift. If you said el regalo especial, you would be referring to a specific special gift already mentioned or obvious from context.

Is Mi abuelo always necessary, or can I just say Abuelo?

When talking to someone who already knows which grandfather you mean, you could say Abuelo directly, especially in a family context. However, using Mi abuelo is more explicit, making it clear you are referring to your grandfather.