Object Pronouns: Comprehensive Guide

Complete guide to understanding and using direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish.

Direct Object Pronouns

Replace the direct object (what/whom receives the action):

me (me) te (you - informal) lo (him/it - masculine/you - formal masculine) la (her/it - feminine/you - formal feminine) nos (us) os (you all - Spain) los (them - masculine/you all - formal masculine) las (them - feminine/you all - formal feminine)

Veo a Juan. → Lo veo. (I see him.) Compro el libro. → Lo compro. (I buy it.) Como la manzana. → La como. (I eat it.)

Indirect Object Pronouns

Replace the indirect object (to/for whom):

me (to/for me) te (to/for you - informal) le (to/for him/her/you - formal) nos (to/for us) os (to/for you all - Spain) les (to/for them/you all - formal)

Doy el libro a María. → Le doy el libro. (I give her the book.) Escribo a ti. → Te escribo. (I write to you.)

Position: Before Conjugated Verbs

Direct object pronouns: Lo veo. (I see it/him.) La compro. (I buy it.) Te quiero. (I love you.)

Indirect object pronouns: Le hablo. (I speak to him/her.) Te escribo. (I write to you.) Nos dan. (They give us.)

Position: Attached to Infinitives

Can attach to infinitive: Voy a verlo. (I'm going to see it/him.) Quiero comprarlo. (I want to buy it.) Necesito hablarte. (I need to talk to you.)

Or before conjugated verb: Lo voy a ver. (I'm going to see it/him.) Lo quiero comprar. (I want to buy it.) Te necesito hablar. (I need to talk to you.)

Position: Attached to Gerunds

Must attach to gerund: Estoy viéndolo. (I'm seeing it/him.) Está comprándolo. (He's buying it.)

Or before conjugated verb: Lo estoy viendo. (I'm seeing it/him.) Lo está comprando. (He's buying it.)

Position: Attached to Commands

Affirmative commands: ¡Cómpralo! (Buy it!) ¡Dime! (Tell me!) ¡Hazlo! (Do it!)

Negative commands: ¡No lo compres! (Don't buy it!) ¡No me digas! (Don't tell me!) ¡No lo hagas! (Don't do it!)

Le/Les → Se (When Combined)

When both pronouns used together: le + lo/la/los/las → se + lo/la/los/las

Le doy el libro. (I give him the book.) Se lo doy. (I give it to him.)

Les compro flores. (I buy them flowers.) Se las compro. (I buy them for them.)

Never: le lo, les la Always: se lo, se la

Double Object Pronouns

Order: Indirect before Direct (IOP + DOP)

Me lo da. (He gives it to me.) Te la compro. (I'll buy it for you.) Nos los mandan. (They send them to us.) Se lo digo. (I tell it to him/her.)

Memory trick: ID (Indirect-Direct)

Clarifying "Se"

Since "se" is ambiguous, clarify with: a él, a ella, a usted, a ellos, a ellas, a ustedes

Se lo doy a él. (I give it to him.) Se lo doy a ella. (I give it to her.) Se lo doy a ustedes. (I give it to you all.)

Direct Object: Lo/La vs Le (Leísmo)

Standard Spanish: Lo veo. (I see him.) - direct object

In Spain (leísmo): Le veo. (I see him.) - common but non-standard

For things, always lo/la: Lo compro. (I buy it.) - everywhere

Redundant Pronouns

Common with indirect objects: Le doy el libro a María. (I give the book to María.) [Both "le" and "a María"]

Me gusta a mí el café. (I like coffee.) [Both "me" and "a mí"]

With Gustar-type Verbs

Always use indirect object pronouns: Me gusta. (I like it.) Te encanta. (You love it.) Le interesa. (It interests him/her.) Nos importa. (It matters to us.)

Accent Marks with Pronouns

When adding pronouns changes stress: compra → cómpralo (add accent) di → dime (no change needed) está comprando → está comprándolo (add accent)

Maintain original stress pattern

Common Verbs with Direct Objects

ver (to see) → Lo veo. comprar (to buy) → Lo compro. comer (to eat) → La como. beber (to drink) → Lo bebo. hacer (to do) → Lo hago. tener (to have) → Lo tengo.

Common Verbs with Indirect Objects

dar (to give) → Le doy. decir (to tell) → Le digo. prestar (to lend) → Te presto. enviar (to send) → Les envío. escribir (to write) → Te escribo. mostrar (to show) → Le muestro.

Both Objects Example

Doy el libro a María. (I give the book to María.) ↓ Se lo doy. (I give it to her.)

se = a María (indirect) lo = el libro (direct)

Personal "A"

Use with people as direct objects: Veo a Juan. → Lo veo. Conozco a María. → La conozco.

Not with things: Veo el libro. → Lo veo.

Practice Examples

Compro la casa. → La compro. (I buy it.) Doy flores a ella. → Se las doy. (I give them to her.) Estoy leyendo el libro. → Estoy leyéndolo. / Lo estoy leyendo. Dime la verdad. → Dímela. (Tell it to me.) No compres el coche. → No lo compres. (Don't buy it.)

Common Errors

❌ Le lo doy ✓ Se lo doy (le + lo = se lo)

❌ Dalo me ✓ Dámelo (pronouns attach to end of affirmative commands)

❌ No dámelo ✓ No me lo des (pronouns before negative commands)

❌ Yo lo veo a él ✓ Lo veo or Lo veo a él (don't need "yo")

Summary Chart

Practice