Question 1

Why are both le and a mi madre in this sentence? Doesn't that state the receiver twice?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it does! In Spanish, it is a very common rule to use the indirect object pronoun (le, meaning to him or to her) even when you also state exactly who the person is (a mi madre). Think of le as a required signpost pointing to the receiver of the action, and a mi madre as the clarification of who that receiver actually is.

Question 2

Why use regalo instead of doy here?

Accepted Answer

While doy (from the verb dar) just means to give in a general sense, like handing someone a pen, the verb regalar specifically means to give a gift or a present. Since you are giving your mother a flower as a gift, regalo is the most natural and precise word to use.

Question 3

Why does le come before the verb regalo?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, object pronouns like le must go directly before the conjugated verb. English puts the receiver after the verb (I give her), but Spanish places it right in front (Le regalo).

Question 4

I thought feminine words usually ended in -a. Why is it una flor?

Accepted Answer

While it is true that most feminine words end in -a, there are common exceptions you just have to memorize. Flor is a feminine noun despite ending in an -r, which is why we must use the feminine article una instead of un.

Le regalo una flor a mi madre.

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