Download OBJECT PRONOUNS There are two types of object pronouns, direct

OBJECT PRONOUNS
There are two types of object pronouns, direct and indirect. First, let's deal with direct object pronouns.
Pattern: Direct object pronouns are used to replace a noun that receives the action of a verb.
They must agree with the noun they replace in gender and number.
Direct Object Pronouns
Direct objects receive the action of a verb in a sentence. For example:
John eats the apple. Carol buys the shoes.
As with other nouns, direct objects can be replaced with pronouns. For example:
John eats it. Carol buys them.
Here are the same examples in Spanish:
John come la manzana. Carol compra los zapatos.
John la come. Carol los compra.
- Note: As you can see, the word order changes (the pronoun comes before the verb).
- Note: Object pronouns can also be attached to the end of infinitive verbs and gerunds:
Yo quiero verlo.
I want to see him.
Yo estoy viéndolo.
I am seeing him.
The Spanish direct object pronouns are:
me
nos
te
os
lo, la
los, las
- Notice that only 2 of the direct object pronouns in Spanish match gender: lo [la] and los [las].
Direct objects can be people as well. Just remember that the pronoun you use must match the
person receiving the action, not the person performing it. For example:
The President talks to us.
Jane kisses him.
You call me.
El Presidente nos habla.
Jane lo besa.
Tú me llamas.
Pattern: Indirect object pronouns are used to replace a noun that receives the direct object.
Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect objects receive the direct object of a sentence. For example:
Paul gives flowers to Rachel. Jim buys pizza for Rob and Emilie.
In these examples, flowers and pizza receive the action of the sentences, and are direct objects, but
Rachel and Rob and Emilie are the indirect objects because they receive the flowers and pizza.
As usual, we can replace our nouns with pronouns. In this case we would say:
Paul gives flowers to her. Jim buys pizza for them.
Here are the same examples in Spanish:
Paul da flores a Rachel. Jim compra pizza para Rob y Emilie.
Paul le da flores. Jim les compra pizza.
Again, the word order has changed (pronouns before verbs).
The Spanish indirect object pronouns are:
me
nos
te
os
le
les
- Notice that none of the indirect object pronouns must match in gender.
Clarifying Phrases
Some object pronouns have multiple meanings. The pronoun le, for example, can mean he, she,
you (formal), or it. It is very common to use clarifying phrases to ensure understanding. Consider the
following two sentences:
Juan le ve.
Juan sees him, her, you (formal), or it.
Juan le ve a María.
Juan sees her. (We know that le means her, because the clarifying
phrase a María makes that clear.)
All Together Now
It is perfectly acceptable to use both direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns in the
same sentence. From the previous example above, you could change
Jim buys pizza for Rob and Emilie.
to
Jim buys it for them.
There are two rules to remember when you use both direct object pronouns and indirect object
pronouns in Spanish.
Rule #1: Indirect object pronouns come before direct object pronouns. Example:
Yo doy el dinero a ti.
Yo te lo doy.
In this example, el dinero is the direct object and is replaced with lo. We are replacing the indirect
object with a pronoun as well (te). They both come before the verb, but remember to put the indirect
object pronoun first!
Rule #2: If the indirect object pronoun is in 3rd person (either le or les), it must be changed to se if it is
used with a direct object pronoun. From the example above:
Jim compra pizza para Rob y Emilie.
Jim se la compra.
(NOT Jim les la compra)