Breakdown of Un agente de policía me pidió el DNI.
de
of
un
a, an, some
me
to me / myself (reflexive) / me (direct object)
la policía
the police
pedir
to ask for; to order (food or drink)
el DNI
the ID card (national)
el agente
the agent (police, estate, insurance)
Questions & Answers about Un agente de policía me pidió el DNI.
Why do we use el DNI here instead of mi DNI?
In Spanish, it is very common to use the definite article (el, la, etc.) instead of a possessive adjective (mi, tu) for personal items like ID cards, clothing, and body parts. The indirect object pronoun me already makes it perfectly clear whose ID is being asked for.
What exactly does DNI stand for?
It stands for Documento Nacional de Identidad. It is the standard national identity card used in Spain, and Spaniards almost always refer to it simply by these initials.
Why is the verb pedir used here instead of preguntar?
I know the stem change in the present tense, but why does pedir become pidió in the past tense?
Could I just say un policía instead of un agente de policía?
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