Prepositional pronouns and direct object pronouns: repetition of complements

As we said in Direct and indirect object pronouns pronouns replace a direct or indirect object. The object pronoun represents indeed an element previously mentioned. However, in Spanish is very common the coincidence within the same clause of several elements representing the same thing. These repeated elements are the direct object and the indirect object.

1 Sometimes the prepositional pronouns (a él, a ella, etc.) .) or the explicit forms of the indirect object follow the verb to explain and clarify the scope of the object pronouns leand les. The patterns of repetition are:

Object pronoun… a + prepositional pronoun
Object pronoun… explicit form of the complement

Le di la mano a todo el mundo.

selo a ellos.

Le, se, a todo el mundo and a él are indirect objects; but the second complements clarify the meaning of the first ones.

2 When the direct or indirect object precede the verb in an explicit form or by a prepositional pronoun, the repetition is necessary.

A Eulalia yo la quiero mucho. (D.o. a Eulalia)

Las libretas no las encontré. (D.o. las libretas)

A Juan le di cien euros. (I.o. a Juan)

A mí me gusta el chocolate, pero a él no. (I.o. a mí)

It is impossible to remove the direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las) without giving to these clauses a ridiculous poetical tone.

Las libretas no encontré. poetic

A Eulalia yo quiero mucho. poetic

We repeat to emphasize. These is very common with the verbs: gustar, encontrar, apetecer, constar, antojarse, ocurrirse, saber mal, hacerse difícil, olvidarse, pesar, dar vergüenza, dar ganas de, dar asco, dar risa, dar frío, dar calor, dar miedo, etc. With these verbs the subject is always a thing, the person involved in the action of the verb is represented by an indirect object.

A mí me gusta el chocolate, pero a él no. (I.o)

A ti no te parece bien, pero a mí sí. (I.o)

A ella no le dieron su regalo. (I.o)

A nosotros nos da vergüenza hablar en público. (I.o)

A ellos les da vergüenza hablar con chicas. (I.o)