The personal "a" is a very tricky grammar concept to teach, for the simple fact that in English there is no equivalent. It is used in Spanish before a direct object noun that refers to a specific person or persons. When the direct object is a definite person or persons, an "a" goes before the noun. ( Remember, the direct object receives the action. You can find out the direct object by saying the subject and verb and then asking the question what? or whom?)
You can also use the personal "a" when the direct object is quien(es) or is a indefinite expression such as alguien or nadie.
If you choose to personify an object such as an animal or anything else, then you have to use the personal "a" once again. Example: Voy a llevar a mi perro.
You must also leave out the personal "a" after the verb tener when it means to possess.
This grammatical concept, is a tricky one, but Spanish speakers use it all the time and if you don't use it correctly or don't use it all, it could make you sound funny. I'll list a few more examples on when the personal "a" is used:
-Necesito ver a mi esposo.
-Visito a Pedro y a Maria.
-Yo tengo un perro.
-A quien esperas?
-Puedes llamar a mi hijo.
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