Spanish Object Pronouns
Understanding direct and indirect object pronouns
Two Types of Object Pronouns
Direct Object (DO)
Receives the action directly:
- • me (me)
- • te (you)
- • lo (him/it masc)
- • la (her/it fem)
- • nos (us)
- • os (you all)
- • los (them masc)
- • las (them fem)
Veo el libro → Lo veo.
I see the book → I see it.
Indirect Object (IO)
Receives the action indirectly (to/for whom):
- • me (to/for me)
- • te (to/for you)
- • le (to/for him/her)
- • nos (to/for us)
- • os (to/for you all)
- • les (to/for them)
Doy el libro a Juan → Le doy el libro.
I give the book to Juan → I give him the book.
Placement Rules
1. Before Conjugated Verbs
Lo veo. (I see it.)
Te llamo mañana. (I'll call you tomorrow.)
Me gusta. (I like it.)
2. Attached to Infinitives
Quiero verlo. (I want to see it.)
Voy a llamarte. (I'm going to call you.)
OR before the conjugated verb: Lo quiero ver.
3. Attached to Gerunds (with accent)
Estoy viéndolo. (I'm seeing it.)
Está llamándote. (He's calling you.)
OR before the conjugated verb: Lo estoy viendo.
4. Attached to Affirmative Commands
¡Cómprálo! (Buy it!)
¡Dímelo! (Tell me it!)
Negative commands: ¡No lo compres! (Don't buy it!)
Combining Two Pronouns
When using both indirect and direct object pronouns together:
Order: Indirect + Direct
Me lo das. (You give it to me.)
IO: me, DO: lo
Te la muestro. (I show it to you.)
IO: te, DO: la
Special Rule: Le/Les → Se
When "le" or "les" is followed by "lo/la/los/las", change "le/les" to "se":
❌ Le lo doy. (WRONG)
✓ Se lo doy. (CORRECT)
(I give it to him/her.)
❌ Les las compro. (WRONG)
✓ Se las compro. (CORRECT)
(I buy them for them.)
Common Examples
| Without Pronouns | With Pronouns |
|---|---|
| Veo a María | La veo |
| Compré los libros | Los compré |
| Doy el regalo a ti | Te doy el regalo |
| Escribo la carta a él | Se la escribo |
Memory Tricks
💡 The RID Rule
When combining pronouns, remember: Reflexive - Indirect - Direct
💡 Quick Tip
Object pronouns can be tricky! For interactive exercises and more examples, visit PresentForge — AI-Powered Presentation Generator. Remember: indirect before direct, and le/les becomes se!
Practice Quiz
Choose the correct object pronoun(s):
1. ¿Ves el libro? → Sí, ___ veo.
2. ¿Das el regalo a María? → Sí, ___ doy el regalo.
3. ¿Me prestas tu coche? → Sí, ___ presto.
4. ¿Le das las flores a ella? → Sí, ___ doy.
5. ¿Estás leyendo el periódico? → Sí, estoy ___ .