Download Double Object Pronouns in Spanish

Double Object Pronouns in Spanish
We have looked at both Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns and learned that we
place them either directly before a conjugated verb or attach them to an
infinitive, a gerund or a command. But what happens when we have both direct and
indirect object pronouns in one sentence? Who goes where?
Let's take a look at an example:
Yo te doy el dinero a ti.
First, we'll identify the different components of this sentence:
Yo
Doy
El dinero
Te, a Ti
(informal you)
Indirect object
Pronoun, Indirect
Object
it's what I'm
YOU are
giving. The money
receiving the
is receiving the
money! (indirect
direct action of
benefit of my
the verb.
action/verb)
direct object
subject pronoun
I
our conjugated
verb
I'm giving
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 active/conjugated verb. But
which comes first?


The indirect will ALWAYS come first.
An easy way to remember this is to think of R.I.D. (Reflexive
Indirect Object, Direct Object).
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
Let's look at another example:
El policía nos lleva las direcciones a nosotros.
First, we'll identify the different components of the sentence:
El policía
The subject
lleva
las direcciones
nos, a nosostros
the verb
the direct object.
We use the pronoun
las.
the indirect object.
the pronoun nos is
already in the
sentence
If we follow the RID rule, our final sentence is:
El policía
nos las lleva.
SUBJECT
IO DO VERB
So far pretty easy!
But (of course!) we have a small exception. Let's look at this sentence:
Juan le escribe una carta a María.
When we examine the elements, we have:
Juan
Subject
escribe
una carta
le, a María
verb
Direct object
We replace this
with la since una
Indirect object
The singular third
carta is singular
and feminine
person pronoun, le,
is already there
So our sentence is:
*Juan le la escribe.
Right?
I guess you know from the red asterisk that this isn't what happens.
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.
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)
Let's try another example:
Yo le pido los discos a mi hermano -> Yo se los pido.
le-->se
IO

los
DO
We have the option of retaining or removing the Indirect Object "tag" :
 Yo se los pido a mi hermano.
 Yo se los pido.
We can also place the double object pronouns on the end of an infinitive
or a gerund just as we do with single object pronouns.
For example:
Yo les estoy explicando las reglas a
ustedes.
les-->se
IO
las
DO
Yo se las estoy explicando -or- Yo estoy
explicándoselas.
IODO
IO-DO
Another example with an infinitive:
Tomás nos va a servir el café a
nosotros.
Tomás nos lo va a servir. --or-Tomás va a servírnoslo.
Notice that we place accent marks on the present participles and infinitives
to preserve the normal pronunciation of the verbs. If you aren't sure where
to put the accent, cover up the pronoun/s and say the word naturally. The
stressed syllable is where you put the accent:

Nosotros vamos a prestarle los libros *Nosotros vamos a prestarselos--?
a Elena.
And now where do we put the
le-->se los
accent...?

1) Take off the pronouns:
Prestar - [selas]

2) Find the normal stresses
syllable: presTAR

Nosotros vamos a prestárselos.
3) Write the accent mark and
attach pronouns:
o prestár + [selas]
Let's look at another example.
El ladrón le está robando el dinero a la
víctima.
*El ladrón está robandoselo
le-->se
lo
1) robando - [selo]
2) roBANdo
3) robándo + [selo]



El ladrón está robándoselo.
Hints:

When using present participles (-ando and -iendo forms), the accent
will always fall on the a for -ando forms, and on the e for -iendo
forms.

When using infinitives, the accent will fall on the a for -ar verbs, on
the e for -er verbs, and on the i for -ir verbs.