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Object Pronouns
For review, here are the direct object pronouns and the indirect object pronouns side by side:
DO Pronouns
me
te
IO Pronouns
me
te
lo, la
le
nos
os
los, las
nos
os
les
English Equivalent
me
you (familiar)
him, her, it, you
(formal)
us
you-all (familiar)
them, you-all (formal)
REMEMBER: DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS
The object that directly receives the action of the verb is called the direct object.
Bill hit the ball. "Ball" receives the action of the verb "hit."
Sherry reads the book. "Book" receives the action of the verb "reads."
The direct object can also be a person. Sherry hit Bill. (DO=Bill)
The direct object answers the question "what?" or "whom?" with regard to what the subject of the sentence
is doing.
Bill hit the ball.
Bill hit what?
Bill hit the ball.
Sherry hit Bill.
Sherry hit whom?
Sherry hit Bill.
Often, it is desirable to replace the name of the direct object with a pronoun and we do so in English as well.
Example 1: Paul bought the flowers. He took the flowers home and gave the flowers to his wife.
Example 2: Paul bought the flowers. He took them home and gave them to his wife.
When the pronoun replaces the name of the direct object, use the above direct object pronouns.
In an affirmative statement with one verb, the direct object pronoun comes immediately before the
conjugated verb.
Tengo = I have
Tengo la pluma. = I have the pen.
La tengo. = I have it.
María tiene = Mary has
María tiene los libros. = Mary has the books.
María los tiene. = Mary has them.
REMEMBER: INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS
The indirect object answers the question "To whom?" or "For whom?" the action of the verb is performed.
He gives María the book.
To whom does he give the book?
To María.
He buys me flowers.
For whom does he buy the flowers?
For me.
IO=María
IO=me
Sentences that have an indirect object usually also have a direct object. Remember, the IO tells us where the
DO is going. Notice how the sentences below just wouldn't work without a direct object.
He gives María . . .
the book, the pen, the diamond, etc.
He buys me . . .
flowers, candy, an ironing board, etc.
Sometimes the direct object is not stated; rather it is implied, or understood.
My mother writes me every week.
DO=letter (understood)
IO=me
(My mother writes me a letter every week.)
She told him.
DO=it (understood)
IO=him
(She told it to him.)
To identify the indirect object use our two guidelines:
1. The IO tells us where the DO is going.
2. The IO answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom" the action of the verb is performed.
When a pronoun takes the place of the name of the indirect object, use the above indirect object pronouns.
In an affirmative statement with one verb, the indirect object pronoun comes immediately before the
conjugated verb.
Juan me compra un regalo.
John buys me a gift.
John buys a gift for me.
Juan nos compra un regalo.
John buys us a gift.
John buys a gift for us.
Juan te compra un regalo.
John buys you a gift.
John buys a gift for you.
Juan os compra un regalo.
John buys you-all (familiar) a gift.
John buys a gift for you-all.
Juan le compra un regalo.
John buys her a gift.
John buys a gift for her.
Juan les compra un regalo.
John buys them a gift.
John buys a gift for them.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: DOUBLE OBJECT PRONOUNS
When a sentence contains both a direct object and an indirect object, both are often replaced by the
appropriate object pronouns.
Example 1: Yo te doy el dinero a ti.
Yo
doy
subject pronoun
our conjugated verb
I
I'm giving
el dinero
te, a ti (informal you)
direct object
Indirect object Pronoun, Indirect
Object
YOU are receiving the money!
It’s what I'm giving. The
(indirect benefit of my
money is receiving the direct
action/verb)
action of the verb.
Now, we replace el dinero with the pronoun lo because dinero is masculine and singular. And we already
have the Indirect Object Pronoun te.
Both object pronouns must come before the conjugated verb. But which comes first? When you have both a
direct object pronoun and an indirect object pronoun in the same sentence, the indirect object will ALWAYS
come first. An easy way to remember this is to think of I.D. (Indirect Object, Direct Object).
Ellos me los dan.
They give them to me.
IO pronoun: me
DO pronoun: los
Ella te la vende.
She sells it to you.
IO pronoun: te
DO pronoun: la
So, our sentence above can be converted into this three-word sentence using both an indirect and a direct
object pronoun:
Te
lo
doy.
IO DO VERB
Example 2: Juan le escribe una carta a María.
Juan
escribe
una carta
le, a María
Indirect object
verb
Direct object
We replace this with la since
una carta is singular and
feminine
Subject
The singular third person
pronoun, le, is already there
So our adjusted sentence is: Juan le la escribe.
Unfortunately, we cannot leave this sentence as it is. We cannot have two "L" object pronouns together. So
our original sentence: Juan le la escribe. must change to---->
Juan se la escribe.
Whenever both pronouns begin with the letter "l" change the first pronoun to "se."
le
le
le
le
lo = se lo
la = se la
los = se los
las = se las
les
les
les
les
lo = se lo
la = se la
los = se los
las = se las
The reason for changing "le lo" to "se lo" is merely to avoid the tongue-twisting effect of two short consecutive
words that begin with the letter "l". To demonstrate this, first quickly say "les las" and then quickly say "se
las." See how much easier it is to say "se las?"
Here is one way to remember the exception:



1) Only Eric Clapton sings Layla (le la) or Laylas (le las).
2) Only criminals Lay low (le lo).
3) Spanish speakers "Say" la/las and "Say" lo/los (se la, se las, se lo, se los)
MORE STUFF
1.
In negative sentences, the negative word comes directly before the first pronoun.
No se lo tengo.
I don't have it for you.
Nunca se los compro.
I never buy them for her.
2.
Because the pronoun se can have so many meanings, it is often helpful to clarify it by using a
prepositional phrase.
Él se lo dice.
Ambiguos. He tells it to (whom?).
Él se lo dice a María.
He tells it to her. (to María)
Él se lo dice a Juan.
He tells it to him. (to Juan)
Él se lo dice a ella.
He tells it to her.
3.
In sentences with two verbs, there are two options regarding the placement of the pronouns. Place
them immediately before the conjugated verb or attach them directly to the infinitive. Note that when
attaching the pronouns to the infinitive, a written accent is also added to the final syllable of the infinitive. This
preserves the sound of the infinitive.
She should explain it to me.
Ella me lo debe explicar.
Ella debe explicármelo.
I want to tell it to you.
Te lo quiero decir.
Quiero decírtelo.
4.
When the pronouns are attached to the infinitive, make the sentence negative by placing the negative
word directly before the conjugated verb.
Ella debe explicármelo.
Ella no debe explicármelo.
Necesitas enviársela a ellos.
No necesitas enviársela a ellos.
5.
When the pronouns come before the conjugated verb, make the sentence negative by placing the
negative word directly before the pronouns.
Ella me lo debe explicar.
Ella no me lo debe explicar.
Se la necesitas enviar a ellos.
No se la necesitas enviar a ellos.
1. ¿Quién le explica los problemas a Ana?
Paco _________________________________explica.
2. ¿Quién te presta su ropa nueva?
Luis __________________________________presta.
3. ¿A quién le manda Juan esas rosas?
Juan ___________________________manda a Elena.
4. ¿Quién les dice a Uds. la respuesta?
Ellos ___________________________________dicen.
5. ¿Quién me da estos billetes?
Yo ___________________________________doy a ti.
6. ¿A quiénes les cuentas el chiste?
Yo ______________________________cuento a ellos.
7. ¿Quién les muestra a Uds. las fotos?
Ana __________________________________muestra.
8. ¿Quién te regala el anillo?
Mi novio ________________________________regala.
9. ¿A quién le escriben Uds. una tarjeta?
Nosotros _______________________escribimos a Luis.
10. ¿Quién me paga las cuentas?
Yo ______________________________________pago.
11. La madre le lee el libro al niño.
Ella _______________________________________lee.
12. Marta te enseña las fotos.
Marta __________________________________enseña.
13. Sara les vende la moto a sus amigos.
Sara ____________________________________vende.
14. Ella nos sirve unas gambas.
Ella ______________________________________sirve.
15. Sofía me compra unos sellos.
Sofía ___________________________________compra.
16. Lola les pide a Uds. un favor grande.
Lola ______________________________________pide.
17. Tú y yo le damos cien dólares a Luis.
Tú y yo __________________________________damos.
18. Tu padre te paga las cuentas.
Tu padre __________________________________paga.
19. Ellos nos dicen un chiste bueno.
Ellos ______________________________________dicen.
20. Mis tíos me muestran una foto.
Mis tíos _________________________________muestran.