OBJECT PRONOUNS

Direct and indirect object pronouns are the two different categories. Let's start by talking about direct object pronouns.

Pattern: A noun that gets a verb's action is replaced with a direct object pronoun. They must share the same gender and number as the word they replace.

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.

You'll notice that the word order alters (the pronoun comes before the verb).

-Note: Gerunds and infinitive verbs can also have object pronouns appended to the end of them:

I'd like to see it. I'd like to meet him.

I'm watching him. I've been seeing him.

The direct object pronouns in Spanish are:

me      nos

te        os

lo, la    los, las

Only two of the direct object pronouns in Spanish, lo [la] and los [las], correspond to gender.

Direct objects can also be living beings. Just keep in mind that you should use the appropriate pronoun—not for the person conducting the action, but for the person receiving it.

For example:

John hugs her.  =  John la abraza.

Jane kisses him.  =  Jane lo besa.

You call me.  =  Tú me llamas.

Pattern:  Indirect object pronouns are used to replace a noun that receives the direct object.

Indirect Object Pronouns

The direct object of a statement is delivered to indirect objects.

For instance:

Paul presents Rachel with flowers. Jim buys Rob and Emilie pizza.

In these cases, Rachel, Rob, and Emilie are the indirect objects since they receive the flowers and pizza, despite the fact that the flowers and pizza are the direct objects and receive the action of the sentences.

We can use pronouns in place of our nouns as normal. In this instance, we'd say:

She receives roses from Paul. Jim buys them pizza.

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.

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)