Expresiones Lección 1 Presentaciones con el verbo “presentarle”

English vs. Spanish In English, when we introduce, we say: I would like to introduce you to someone. In Spanish, it is opposite, as introduce by saying: –I would like to introduce someone to you.

Paso a paso (Step by step) In order to better understand introductions in Spanish, we will build up to it step by step.

Presentarle = To introduce to someone FIRST STEP When we want to express “I would like to introduce”, in Spanish we use either the expression: presento or quiero presentar.

¿Te, Le, or Les? SECOND STEP Before the verb “presento” or attached to “presentar” we have to choose an indirect object pronoun: –Te (to you) When speaking to one friend –Le (to you) When speaking politely to one person –Les (to you all) When speaking to more than one person * Note: Te, Le, Les refer to whom you are directly speaking. That is to say, the person to whom the introduction is being made.

THIRD STEP Te presento/Quiero presentarte = I would like to introduce to you (friendly, one person) Le presento/Quiero presentarle = I would like to introduce to you (polite, one person) Les presento/Quiero presentarles = I would like to introduce to you (more than one person)

FOURTH STEP After the verb “presento” or the expression “quiero presentar” we state the person or persons being introduced. Before each person’s name, we must use the word “a.” The preposition “a” usually means “to” or “at.” However, when introducing, it has no meaning at all, but must be included.

I would like to introduce (person/s) to you (friendly; one person) Te presento a… /Quiero presentarte a… I would like to introduce (person/s) to you (polite; one person) Le presento a…/Quiero presentarle a… I would like to introduce (person/s) to you (all) Les presento a… /Quiero presentarles a…

Te presento a Juan. /Quiero presentarte a Juan. I would like to introduce Juan to you. Te presento a Juan y a Miguel./Quiero presentarte a Juan y a Miguel. I would like to introduce Juan and Miguel to you. Le presento a Marta./Quiero presentarle a Marta. I would like to introduce Marta to you. Le presento a Marta, a Carlos y a Paco./Quiero presentarle a Marta, a Carlos y a Paco. I would like to introduce Marta, Carlos and Paco to you. Les presento a Rosa. /Quiero presentarles a Rosa. I would like to introduce Rosa to you all. Les presento a Rosa y a Isabel. /Quiero presentarles a Rosay y a Isabel. I would like to introduce Rosa and Isabel to you all.

A Uds. les toca…It’s your turn… Hagan los papeles siguientes: Compañero 1 es Miguel. Compañero 2 es Pablo. Compañero 3 es Diego.

Escenario Pablo knows Miguel. Pablo also knows Diego. Pablo and Miguel see Diego. As Miguel and Diego don’t know one another, Pablo introduces them.

C2P:, Hi, Diego How are you? C3D: Fine, thank you. And you, Pablo? C2P: I am very well. Diego, I would like to introduce Miguel to you. C3D: Pleased to meet you, Miguel. C1M: Likewise, pleased to meet you, Diego. C2P: Hola, Diego. ¿Cómo estás tú? C3D: Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú, Pablo? C2P: Estoy muy bien. Diego, te presento a Miguel. C3D: Mucho gusto, (Encantado) Miguel. C1M: Igualmente (El gusto es mío) (Tanto gusto), Diego.

A Uds. les toca…It’s your turn… Hagan los papeles siguientes: Compañero 1 es Jorge. Compañero 2 es Francisco. Compañero 3 es Mateo. Compañero 4 es Raúl.

Escenario Francisco knows Jorge. Francisco also knows Mateo and Raúl. Francisco and Jorge see Mateo and Raúl. As Mateo and Raúl don’t know Jorge, Francisco introduces Jorge to them.

C2F: Hi, Mateo. Hi, Raúl. How are you (all)? C3M: O.K. What’s happening, Francisco? C2F: Mateo and Raúl,I would like to introduce Jorge to you (all). C4R: Pleased to meet you, Jorge. C1J: Likewise, pleased to meet you, Raúl. C3M: Pleased to meet you, Jorge. C1J: Likewise, pleased to meet you, Mateo. C2F: Hola, Mateo. Hola, Raúl.¿Cómo están Uds.? C3M: Regular. ¿Qué pasa, Francisco? C2F: Mateo y Raúl, les presento a Jorge. C4R: Mucho gusto (Encantado), Jorge. C1J: Igualmente (El gusto es mío) (Tanto gusto), Raúl. C3M: Mucho gusto (Encantado), Jorge. C1: Igualmente. (El gusto es mío) (Tanto gusto), Mateo.

Los títulos Common Spanish titles used with last names are: –señor (Sr.) = Mister (Mr.) –señora (Sra.) = Misses (Mrs.) –señorita (Srta.) = Miss (Ms.) These titles are only capitalized if they begin a sentence, or if they are abbreviated anywhere in a sentence. NOTE: In Spanish, titles are sometimes used without the last name: señor = Sir señora = Ma’am señorita = Miss

Talking to someone with a title When we speak directly to someone with a title, we simply state the title and the last name: – Sr. Rojas, le presento a Juan. “Mr. Rojas, I would like to introduce Juan to you.” –Sra. Lopez, le presento a Juan y a Carlos. “Mrs. Lopez, I would like to introduce Juan and Carlos to you.” –Srta. Valdez, le presento a Susana. “ Ms. Valdez, I would like to introduce Susana to you. “

Talking about someone with a title When we are talking about someone with a title, we put the definite articles before the title. They do not translate into any word in English. –el señor –la señora –la señorita

Juan, te presento a la señora Melanson. –Juan, I would like to introduce Mrs. Melanson to you. Sra. Melanson, le presento a la señora Rodriguez. –Mrs. Melanson, I would like to introduce Mrs. Rodriguez to you. Sr. Rojas, le presento a la señora Melanson y al señor Preito. –Mr. Rojas, I would like to introduce Mrs. Melanson and Mr. Prieto to you. OJO: Attention a + el = al (It is a required contraction in Spanish.)

Un poco más sobre los títulos The titles don and doña are used before first names only. They are never capitalized, unless they begin a sentence. They never need el or la before them. –Don Juan, le presento a Miguel. –Doña Inés, le presento a Pablo. –Miguel, te presento a don Juan. –Pablo, te presento a doña Inés.

A Uds. les toca…It’s your turn… Hagan los papeles siguientes: Compañero 1 es el señor Bahamón. Compañero 2 es Carlos. Compañero 3 es la señora Melanson.

Escenario Carlos knows Mr. Bahamón. Carlos also knows Mrs. Melanson. Carlos and Mrs. Melanson see Mr. Bahamón. As Mrs. Melanson and Mr. Bahamón don’t know one another Carlos introduces Mr. Bahamón to Mrs. Melanson.

C2C: Good afternoon, Mr. Bahamón. How are you? C1B: Very well, thank you. How are things going, Carlos? C2C: I am O.K. Mrs. Melanson, I would like to introduce Mr. Bahamón to you. C3M: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bahamón. C1B: Likewise, pleased to meet you, Mrs. Melanson. C2C: Buenas tardes, señor Bahamón. ¿Cómo está Ud.? C1B: Muy bien, gracias. ¿Qué tal, Carlos? C2C: Estoy regular. Señora Melanson, le presento al señor Bahamón. C3M: Mucho gusto, (Encantada) señor Bahamón. C1B: Igualmente (El gusto es mío) (Tanto gusto), señora Melanson.