Using ‘Pedir’

Students sometimes try to incorrectly add por or para right after the verb when they translate “to ask for” from English into Spanish. We should always remember that pedir does not need a preposition.

Pedir – To ask for something / to request

Just for reviewing purposes, here is pedir, conjugated:

Formas no personales:

Gerundio: Pidiendo
Participio: Pedido

Practice – Translate the following sentences into Spanish

1. John asked Peter for a coffee.
2. I asked Alberto for some chocolate.
3. Did you ask for this?
4. I am asking for something.
5. They will ask for a sandwich.
6. Is he asking for a promotion?
7. Nuria asked me for the keys.
8. I never ask for favors.
9. Laura asked the person at the front desk for a different room.

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 Correct answers for Practice – Translate the following sentences into Spanish:

1. John (le) pidió a Peter un café.* / John (le) pidió un café a Peter. 2. (Le) pedí un poco de chocolate a Alberto. / (Le) pedí a Alberto un poco de chocolate. 3. ¿Pediste esto? 4. Estoy pidiendo algo. 5. Ellos van a pedir un sandwich. / Ellos pedirán un sandwich. 6. ¿Está pidiendo una promoción / un ascenso? 7. Nuria me pidió las llaves. 8. Nunca pido favores. 9. Laura (le) pidió a la persona en la recepción un cuarto diferente. / Laura (le) pidió un cuarto diferente a la persona en la recepción.

*Note: on #1, #2, and #9 “le” is optional. We don’t really need it, but it’s very common to use it, even if that means duplicating the indirect object (for example, in #1, “Peter” and “le” are the same thing).