Grasping the direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish can be quite challenging, and you might find yourself asking, “What on earth do lo, le and se mean in Spanish?”
Another complex topic in Spanish, isn’t it?
Many Spanish learners echo these sentiments as they grapple with object pronouns. But you’re not alone in learning this..
Welcome to one of the most straightforward guides you could find on this subject. While the Spanish object pronouns may seem daunting, we’re committed to providing a simple introduction to help you understand them better. Remember, mastering this aspect of the language requires time and consistent practice. With this guide, we aim to make your learning journey a bit clearer.
For a deeper understanding of object pronouns, we recommend checking out our comprehensive guides on direct and indirect pronouns as well.
In this introduction, we’ll cover:
- ¿What are the object pronouns?
- Direct and indirect object pronouns chart and examples
- Direct and indirect object pronouns placement
- Combining object pronouns together
- Se in Spanish
- Practice time
- Final words
Let’s get the party started!
¿What are the object pronouns?
In essence, direct and indirect object pronouns are used to replace the object of a sentence, substituting the noun. Does this sound like a foreign language to you? Don’t fret! We’ll clarify this soon with some examples. But first…
Why are they used in Spanish?
These pronouns enhance the flow of conversation and simplify the language. You may have noticed them being used in films or by native Spanish speakers. Trust us, mastering object pronouns will significantly improve your Spanish skills and streamline your communication.
Still feeling confused? Relax!
We’re going to explore all the direct and indirect pronouns, complete with examples, to help you gain a better understanding.
Direct and indirect object pronouns chart and examples
And here they are:
| Subject pronouns | Direct object pronouns | Indirect object pronouns | English |
| Yo | Me | Me | Me |
| Tú | Te | Te | You |
| Él-Ella-Usted (Formal) | Lo/La | Le | His/Her/You |
| Ustedes-Ellos/Ellas | Los/Las | Les | You (Plural)/They |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Nos | Nos | Us |
The only difference between direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish is the shift from “lo / la / los / las” in the direct object to “le” and “les” in the indirect object. The rest of the object pronouns, including “me,” “te” and “nos” remain the same.
Now, you may be asking why this change occurs and what differentiates direct from indirect object pronouns in Spanish.
Let’s delve into the explanation, complete with examples.
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| The direct object is who or what receives the action of the verb | The indirect object is To whom/From whom some action is being performed for. |
| I buy the book for Maria. Yo compro un libro para Maria | I buy the book for Maria. Yo compro un libro para Maria |
| I buy it for Maria. Yo lo compro para Maria | I buy the book to her. Yo le compro el libro |
| Direct object: Book-Libro | Indirect objects: Maria |
| 2. She gives the chocolate to her brothers. Ella da el chocolate a sus hermanos | 2. She gives the chocolate to her brothers. Ella da el chocolate a sus hermanos |
| She gives it to her brothers. Ella lo da a sus hermanas | She gives the chocolate to them. Ella les da el chocolate |
| Direct object: Chocolate | Indirect objects: Hermanos |
A helpful trick to identify the indirect object pronoun is to look for the prepositions “a” or “para” before it, as you can observe in the examples. This can assist you in pinpointing the pronoun.
Now it’s your turn to put this knowledge into practice. Try identifying the direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish within this sentence.
- Luis cooks pizza for Laura
Luis cocina pizza para Laura
What is the Direct object?
What is the Indirect object?
Don’t scroll down yet…
Did you get it?
Ok you could scroll down if you have the answer now.
Here are the answers:
| Luis cooks pizza for Laura. Luis cocina pizza para Laura. | Luis cooks pizza for Laura. Luis cocina pizza para Laura. |
| Luis cooks it for Luisa. Luis la cocina para Luisa. | Luis cooks her the pizza. Luis le cocina la pizza. |
| Direct object: Pizza | Indirect objects: Laura |
Got it?
To gain a deeper understanding of object pronouns, we suggest reviewing guides on both direct and indirect pronouns.
If you’re still finding this challenging, rest assured, it’s entirely normal! It simply requires some getting used to. We’ll provide more practice opportunities later on. For now, let’s proceed to explore how to use these object pronouns in combination.
Direct and indirect object pronouns placement
The direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish can be positioned before the verb, after the verb, or both. Let’s explore these variations.
Conjugated verb
Usually when the verb is conjugated in any Spanish tense the indirect and direct object pronouns come before the conjugated verb, let see examples of both cases:
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| I said it. Yo lo dije | I told them. Yo les dije |
| She gives it. Ella las da | She gives the keys to him/her. Ella le da las llaves |
| They cook it. Ellos lo cocinan | They cook the beans for him/her. Ellos le cocinan los frijoles |
| Ana brings it to me. Ana me la trae | Ana brings me the food. Ana me trae la comida |
| I give them. Yo las regalo | I give the flowers to them. Yo les regalo las flores |
| We will clean it tomorrow. Nosotros lo limpiaremos mañana | We will clean the car to him/her tomorrow. Nosotros le limpiaremos el carro mañana |
Do you go it?, let’s move on to another case.
Infinitive verbs
When the verb is not conjugated for example in the case of the Near future (To go) tense or in any other situation, the object pronoun goes before and after, examples:
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| I am going to write it. Yo lo voy a escribirYo voy a escribirlo | I am going to write a letter to him/her. Yo le voy a escribir una cartaYo voy a escribirle una carta |
| He is going to clean it. Él la va a limpiarÉl va a limpiarla | He is going to clean the house for him/her. Él le va a limpiar la casaÉl va a limpiarle la casa |
| We are going to bathe the dog to them. Nosotros lo vamos a bañar Nosotros vamos a bañarlo | We are going to bathe the dog to them. Nosotros le vamos a bañar el perroNosotros vamos a bañarle el perro |
When the verb is in gerund (Ando/iendo) the Present progressive tense or in any other situation (Tener que, poder), the object pronoun could be placed before the infinitive verb and after the infinitive verb, Let’s check this out:
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| I am doing itYo lo estoy haciendo. Yo voy a estar haciéndolo | I am doing the food for them. Yo les estoy haciendo la comidaYo estoy haciéndoles la comida |
| He is changing it. Él lo está enseñandoÉl va a enseñarlo | He is teaching Spanish to them. Él le está enseñando españolÉl está enseñándoles español |
| We are going to bathe it. Nosotros lo vamos a bañar Nosotros vamos a bañarlo | We are going to bathe the dog for him/her. Nosotros le vamos a bañar el perroNosotros vamos a bañarle el perro |
And last but not least…
Imperative verbs (Commands)
In the affirmative imperative mood, the object pronoun always goes at the end of the verb, examples:
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| Clean it¡Límpialo! | Clean the car for him/herLimpale el carro |
| Juan look for it nowJuan buscala ahora | Juan look for a seat for themJuan Buscales una silla |
In the negative imperative mood, by the other side when the imperative verb is negative, the object pronoun always goes after the verb, examples:
| Direct object pronoun | Indirect object pronoun |
| Don’t touch itNo lo cocines | Don’t cook food for him/her No le cocines la pasta |
| Don’t pay itNo lo pagues | Don’t pay the bill for themNo les pagues la cuenta |
Note: The imperative mood (Commands) is quite an advanced topic to learn, don’t worry if you don’t know about this topic yet, don’t worry about it.
Combining object pronouns together
Ah! The double object pronouns in Spanish often perplex students, and you’re likely not an exception.
As previously mentioned, object pronouns are utilized to streamline Spanish language usage, and this is evident here. Importantly, when using both object pronouns, the indirect object pronoun always precedes the direct object pronoun. Let’s examine this with an example:
- Ana buys the food for us
Ana compra la comida para nosotros
So here we identify the direct and indirect object pronouns
- Indirect object: Nosotros
Direct object: La comida
So instead of saying indirect object: Nosotros and mentioning the direct object: La comida- The food, we contract it like this:
- Ana nos la compra
Indirect object: Nos
Direct object: Las
Everything get clearer with some practice, so let’s check more examples
| EnglishI buy it-them for you | EnglishShe buys it-them for you | EnglishShe buys it-them for me | EnglishShe buys it-them for us |
| Yo te la compro | Ella te la compra | Ella me la compra | Ella nos la compra |
| Yo te las compro | Ella te las compra | Ella me las compra | Ella nos las compra |
| Yo te lo compro | Ella te lo compra | Ella me lo compra | Ella nos lo compra |
| Yo te los compro | Ella te los compra | Ella me los compra | Ellas nos los compra |
Of course lo, los, la, las change depending on the direct object if it is singular, plural, feminine or masculine.
Do you recognize the pattern and its application? This pattern continues with all subject pronouns. Here are some more examples:
- We cook it for you
Nosotros te la cocinamos
- They clean it for you
Ellos te la limpian
- You give it for us
Ustedes nos la dan
- They pay it for us
Ellos nos la pagan
In the case of infinitive verb in the Near future (To go) and the present progressive tense (ando/iendo), we use both object pronouns before the verb or at the end of the verb, examples:
- She is going to cook it for you
Ella va a cocinártela
Ella te la va a cocinar
- We are going to tell it to you
Nosotros te lo vamos a decir
Nosotros vamos a decírtelo
- You are cleaning them for me
Ustedes están limpiándomelos
Ustedes me los están limpiando
Note: When the verb is in infinitive it is necessary to add the accent!
Se in Spanish
You may have wondered before, “What the hell is ‘se‘ in Spanish?”
Finally, here is the answer.
You cannot combine the object pronouns ‘le-lo‘, ‘les-lo‘, ‘le-la‘, or ‘les-la‘ together due to phonetic reasons – it just sounds wrong.
However, we want to make your life easier and give you a trick. When both object pronouns start with ‘L’, you have to change the first one to ‘se’. That’s the famous ‘se‘ in Spanish! Here are some examples:
| Se Spanish | Examples | Se Spanish | Examples |
| Le lo: se lo | I don’t buy it. Yo no se lo compro | Les lo: se lo | We cook it. Nosotros se lo cocinamos |
| Le los: se los | I buy them. Yo se los compro | Les los: se los | We cook them. Nosotros no se loscocinamos |
| Le la: se la | She cleans it. Ella se la limpia | Les la: se la | You write it. Tú se la escribes |
| Le las: se las | She doesn’t clean them. Ella no se las limpia | Les las: se las | You write them. Tú se las escribes |
The use of ‘se’ in Spanish is one of the most common uncertainties among Spanish learners! But now you’ve got it.
The use of double object pronouns in Spanish, including ‘se’, depends on the context and necessity. We understand that it may seem confusing initially, but there’s no need to stress or worry about using it perfectly from the start. We are merely providing an overview. Remember, you don’t always have to use it – simply incorporate it as per your need and comfort level.
Practice time
Now that we have checked both object pronouns, it is your turn to practice
Identify the direct object pronoun and rewrite the sentence using it
- They don’t have the keys
Ellos no tienen las llaves
- You could clean your room
Puedes limpiar tu habitación
- Ana brings the cat to my house
Ana trae el gato a mi casa
- I am going to give the class in the school
Voy a dar la clase en la escuela
- Do you cook the cake for the party tonight?
¿Cocinas la torta para la fiesta en la noche?
Identify the indirect object pronoun and rewrite the sentence using it
- We give the bike to Luis
Nosotros regalamos la bicicleta a Luis
- You don’t bring the books for your friends
¿Tú no traes los libros para tus amigas?
- I teach Spanish to children in the school
Yo enseño español a niños de la escuela
- They are cooking the desserts for us
Ellas están cocinando los postres para nosotros
- You are going to buy apples for my mother
Ustedes van a comprar manzanas para mi madre
Identify the direct and indirect object pronouns and rewrite the following sentence using both object pronouns
- Ana have my keys
Ana tiene mis llaves
- I say the truth to my family
Yo digo la verdad a mi familia
- She pays the bill to her friends
Ella paga la cuenta a sus amigos
- We bring the chocolate for you
Nosotros llevamos el chocolate para ti
- They help to clean the car to their neighbour
Ellos ayudan a limpiar el carro a su vecino
Note: The answers are at the end of the article.
Final words
Congratulations on making it this far! You’re indeed a warrior.
We hope this guide has clarified any doubts you had. We understand that the topic of direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish can initially seem daunting, but that’s what we’re here for!
To further deepen your understanding, we recommend you also check our guides on direct and indirect pronouns. The key to mastering this is practice! Keep this guide at your fingertips, as you will undoubtedly find it helpful.
Answers
Here are the answers to the exercises of the direct and indirect object pronouns.
Identify the direct object pronoun and rewrite the sentence using it
- They don’t have the keys
Ellos no tienen las llaves
They don’t have them
Ellos no las tienen
- You could clean your room
Puedes limpiar tu habitación
You could clean it
Puedes limpiarla– La puedes limpiar
- Ana brings the cat to my house
Ana trae el gato a mi casa
Ana brings it to my house
Ana lo trae a mi casa
- I am going to give the class in the school
Voy a dar la clase en la escuela
I am going to give it in the school
Voy a darla en la escuela- La voy a dar en la escuela
- Do you cook the cake for the party tonight?
¿Cocinas la torta para la fiesta en la noche?
Do you cook it for the party tonight?
¿La cocinas para la fiesta en la noche?
Identify the indirect object pronoun and rewrite the sentence using it
- We give the bike to Luis
Nosotros regalamos la bicicleta a Luis
We give the bike to him
Nosotros le regalamos la bicicleta
- You don’t bring the books for your friends
¿Tú no traes los libros para tus amigas?
You don’t bring the books for them
¿Tú no les traes los libros?
- I teach Spanish to children in the school
Yo enseño español a los niños de la escuela
I teach Spanish at the school to them
Yo les enseño español en la escuela
- They are cooking the desserts for us
Ellas están cocinando los postres para nosotros
They are cooking us the desserts
Ellas nos están cocinando los postres
- You are going to buy apples for my mother
Ustedes van a comprar manzanas para mi madre
You are going to buy her apples
Ustedes van a comprarle manzanas- Ustedes le van a comprar manzanas
Identify the direct and indirect object pronouns and rewrite the following sentence using both object pronouns
- Ana have my keys
Ana tiene mis llaves
Ana me las tiene
- I say the truth to my family
Yo digo la verdad a mi familia
Yo se las digo
- She pays the bill to her friends
Ella paga la cuenta a sus amigos
Ella se las paga
- We bring the chocolate for you
Nosotros llevamos el chocolate para ti
Nosotros te lo llevamos
- They help to clean the car to their neighbor
Ellos ayudan a limpiar el carro a su vecinoEllos se lo limpian