Breakdown of A ellas les da envidia tu nueva casa.
la casa
the house
ellas
they (feminine)
nuevo
new
tu
your
a
to
dar
to give
les
to them / to you all
la envidia
the envy
Questions & Answers about A ellas les da envidia tu nueva casa.
Why is the verb da singular when the English translation says "They are envious"?
Why do we have both A ellas and les when they refer to the same people?
Spanish requires the indirect object pronoun (les) in sentences using verbs of emotion like dar, even when the people receiving the action are explicitly named. The pronoun les is mandatory for the grammar to work, while the phrase A ellas is optional and used here to add emphasis or clarify exactly who "they" are.
Why does this sentence use envidia (envy) as a noun instead of an adjective for "envious"?
When talking about emotional reactions, Spanish frequently uses the verb dar (to give) paired with a noun. Instead of describing how a person is (envious), Spanish describes what the situation gives them (envidia). You will see this same pattern with other emotions, like dar miedo (to cause fear) or dar vergüenza (to cause embarrassment).
Can I change the word order and put tu nueva casa at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes, absolutely! Saying Tu nueva casa les da envidia a ellas is perfectly correct grammar. However, Spanish speakers often put the subject at the end of sentences that use this dar plus emotion structure (just like with the verb gustar) because the natural focus is on the people experiencing the feeling.
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