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:

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

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.

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.