explain

[Mad-ox]

hi

How is correct and why?

1. He explained me the risk.
2. He explained to me the risk.
3. He explained the risk to me.

Thank you beforehand!,
m

[Tdol]

I'd go for 3, but you will hear 1 colloquially.

[Mariner]

you will hear 1 colloquially

You mean even if it is ungrammatical?

[Humble]

Hi,
Why, tdol,
Explain requires to. My choice is #2. Or #3 if to me is emphasized.

[Mariner]

#2 (He explained to me the risk) is very strange, if not ungrammatical. The reason is, we rarely "break" the verb from its object. So, in this example, the Prepositional Phrase "to me" should follow the object ("the risk")

EDIT:
Although this happens if the object is a clause
E.g.
He explained to them why this idea was bad
They explained to me that I had to follow him

EDIT#2:
Generally, whether you place the Prepositional Phrase before the object or not, depends on the "weight" of the object, that is its length.

Consider:
He explained the rules to me
vs:
He explained to me the rules of engagement that govern the reality of the battlefield.

[boothling]

I would only use #3.

I'm pretty sure the "to me" has to come after whatever is being explained. You explain something to somebody; you don't explain to somebody something. Or at least, I don't.

Compare:

He explained to me it.
He explained it to me.

(I'm not claiming to know the correct usage -- and I certainly can't explain it in grammatical terms -- but only #3 looks correct to me.)

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Humble

Hi,
Why, tdol,
Explain requires to. My choice is #2. Or #3 if to me is emphasized.

Sure?

Give me that.
Pass me the salt.
Explain me this.


I agree that explain is usually followed by to. But I've heard explain immediately followed by an indirect object. It's not a usage I would encourage, but native speakers often say it colloquially.

b

ps -

This usage applies more to indirect object pronouns I think. I've heard explain me this and explain me how but not explain me the risk

[Zahoor Ahmad]

Originally Posted by Mad-ox

hi

How is correct and why?

1. He explained me the risk.
2. He explained to me the risk.
3. He explained the risk to me.

Thank you beforehand!,
m

He explained me the risk

[Zahoor Ahmad]

1

[Zahoor Ahmad]

He explained me the risk