¿Ellos te prestan el libro a ti?

Questions & Answers about ¿Ellos te prestan el libro a ti?

Why do we use both 'te' and 'a ti' in the same sentence?
They both mean 'to you'. In Spanish, you usually need the short indirect object pronoun (te) to show who receives the action. Adding the longer phrase (a ti) at the end is optional. It is used here just to add extra emphasis.
Why does 'te' come before the verb prestan?
Short object pronouns like te (to you), me (to me), and le (to him/her) almost always go right in front of the conjugated verb. English puts the person after the verb ('they lend you'), but Spanish puts it before (te prestan).
Does the verb prestan mean 'borrow' or 'lend'?
The verb prestar specifically means 'to lend'. If you want to say 'to borrow' in Spanish, you have to use a different phrase: pedir prestado (literally 'to ask to borrow').
Can I drop Ellos from the beginning of the sentence?
Yes, you can drop Ellos. Because the verb prestan ends in -an, it already tells us the subject is 'they' (or 'you all'). Including Ellos simply adds a bit of clarity or emphasis to the question.

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