"He shows her the newspaper."

Translation: Ele mostra o jornal a ela.

[Braziluz17]

Why can't it be "Ele mostra ela o jornal?"

[Paulenrique]

Mostrar + a/para + someone

• Ele mostra para ela o jornal.

[dtnansel]

How about "ele a mostra o jornal"?

[Paulenrique]

Mostrar, in this context, is intransitive. So, "ele lhe mostra o jornal"

[dtnansel]

So lhe is for intransitive verbs and a/as/o/os are for transitive verbs??

[Paulenrique]

Yes, for the 3rd singular person. Lhes, os, as for the 3rd plural person. Mostrar can be either transitive direct or indirect. (That what i meant at first, not transitive or intransitive) "Ele mostra a revista" (direct) ="ele A mostra" / "ele mostra a revista para ela" (indirect) = "ele LHE mostra a revista". Show me the magazine = mostre-me a revista

[dtnansel]

Okay, I think I finally got it. Lhe is the 3rd person singular indirect object, a/o is the direct object. Thanks again for all your help!

[Paulenrique]

Yes. Remember indirect verbs are verbs followed by preposition. Direct = ele mostra a revista. Indiret = ele mostra PARA mim