Phrase · 📢 Reporting news and promises
Me pidió que no se lo contara a nadie.
She asked me not to tell anyone.
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Why every word is where it is
Meobject pronoun(of) meyo · 1st sing. · indirect objectpidió1verbaskedpedir · past · 3rd sing.queconjunctionthatnoadverbnotse2object pronounto him / her (le → se)3rd · indirect objectlo2object pronounitél · 3rd sing. · direct objectcontara1verbI tellcontar · subjunctive · imperfect · 1st sing.a3prepositiontonadie3pronounanyone, nobodysing..
- pidió → contara: tense
- pidió → Me: iobj
- contara → lo: obj
- se → nadie: ref
Word for word: “She asked me that I not tell it to anyone.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1pedir que in the past → imperfect subjunctive: me pidió que no lo contara. Note the person: contara = I tell. Reported speech II: commands, questions and time shifts →
- 2se lo: le becomes se before lo (never ✗ le lo). Se = to him / her, lo = it. Double object pronouns (se lo) and clitic placement →
- 3no … a nadie: double negation is normal in Spanish. a because nadie is a person. Indefinites and double negation →
Variations
- Me pidió que no se lo contase a nadie.
- Me pidió que no se lo cuente a nadie.