by Welcome to our guide on direct object pronouns in Spanish! If you’re learning Spanish, you’ll soon discover that object pronouns are a fundamental part of the language, serving a crucial role in sentence construction and everyday conversation.
From referring to a person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb, to replacing previously mentioned nouns, object pronouns are an essential component in mastering Spanish.
In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Spanish object pronouns, providing explanations, examples, and tips to help you understand and use them effectively.
Whether you’re a beginner or just need a refresher, this guide is designed to make the concept of object pronouns in Spanish clearer and more accessible.
So, let’s get started!
In this article we’ll cover:
- What is a direct object pronoun?
- Direct object pronouns chart and examples
- Direct object pronouns placement or how to use the direct pronouns
- Conjugated verb
- Infinitive verbs
- Imperative verbs
- Practice time
- Final words
What is a direct object?
Mastering the topic of object pronouns is essential for sounding like a native Spanish speaker. It simplifies the language and avoids repeating the same words over and over.
In simple terms, a direct object is the person or thing that the action of the verb is directed towards in a sentence… I know, it might sound confusing! We’re supposed to be learning Spanish, not something that sounds like a foreign language.
But don’t worry, we’re here to break it down for you.
Let’s clarify this with some examples:
- I cook the chicken- I cook it
Yo cocino el pollo – Yo lo cocino
Direct object: Chicken-Pollo (Singular-Masculine)
- Ana bath the baby- Ana bath her
Ana baña la bebé – Ana la baña
Direct object: Baby (Singular-Femenine)
I am going to give you a trick here! To find the direct object in the sentences, ask who or what receives the action of the verb.
- What do I cook? The chicken
¿Qué cocino? El pollo
- Who does Ana bathe? The baby
¿A quién baña Ana? la bebé
Do you see it now?
I understand that you won’t pause every minute during your Spanish conversations to think this through. It would certainly look odd to your friends!
But this is an excellent exercise to understand how to use direct object pronouns in Spanish. The key to mastering it is practice. After a while, it will come naturally to you.
Now let’s review all the direct object pronouns.
Direct object pronouns chart and examples
Each subject pronoun has its own direct object and here they are:
| Subject pronouns | Direct object pronoun | English |
| Yo | Me | Me |
| Tú | Te | You |
| Él-Ella-Usted (Formal) | Lo/La | His/Her/You |
| Ustedes-Ellos/Ellas | Los/Las | You (Plural)/They |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Nos | Us |
As you can see, there are singular, plural, feminine, and masculine direct objects in Spanish. This is just how the language works, and we hope you’re becoming familiar with this aspect. If not, you might need a class with us right now!
Remember, it’s not us or your teachers to blame for this complexity – point your finger at the Romans who shaped the Spanish language!
In English, the translation of the direct object is simpler – “it” for singular, and “them” for plural and things.
Now, let’s look at some examples of Spanish direct object pronouns:
| Examples | Direct object | Subject sentence (What/Who) |
| Luis buys chocolate in the storeLuis compra chocolate en la tienda | Luis buys it in the storeLuis lo compra en la tienda | What?: The chocolate¿Qué?: El chocolate |
| I look for the keysYo busco las llaves de la casa | I search themYo las busco | What?: The keys ¿Qué?: Las llaves |
| You eat pizza in the restaurantUstedes comen pizza en el restaurante | You eat it Ustedes la comen | What?: The pizza ¿Qué?: La pizza |
| They bathe the dogs in the gardenEllos bañan los perros en el jardín | They bathe them in the gardenEllos los bañan en el jardín | Who?: Los perros ¿Qué?: The dogs |
| Ana and Juan help the neighbourAna y Juan ayudan a la vecina | Ana and Juan help herAna y Juan la ayudan | Who?: The neighbour ¿Qué?: La vecina |
| We sell history books at universityNosotros vendemos los libros de historia en la universidad | We sell them at universityNosotros los vendemos en la universidad | What?: Los libros de historia ¿Qué?: The history books |
So, were you able to follow the dynamic of direct object pronouns in Spanish? It’s not too complicated, right?
That’s the benefit of having good teachers! And we are indeed very good teachers. You’re welcome!
In the end, it’s not that difficult. Here’s a trick: many people find it easier to learn with patterns, like the examples we just shared.
However, everyone learns differently. Determine whether you are a rules-based learner or a patterns-based learner.
Now, let’s delve into more detailed usage of direct object pronouns in Spanish.
How to use direct pronouns
Now that we have the chart of direct object pronouns, it’s time to see how to use them. Direct object pronouns in Spanish can be placed before the verb, after the verb, or both. So let’s delve into the placement of direct object pronouns.
Conjugated verb
I english the “it“and “them” always comes after the conjugated verb, but in Spanish is completely the opposite, usually with conjugated verbs in any Spanish tense the direct object pronoun comes before the conjugated verb, let see some examples:
- I wait for her at home
Yo la espero en la casa
- Ana don’t do it very well
Ana no lo hace muy bien
- Did she buy it yesterday?
¿Ella la compró ayer?
- They read it yesterday
Ellos lo leyeron ayer
- Luis hasn’t cleaned it
Luis no lo ha limpiado
- We met her last year
Nosotros la conocimos el año pasado
- Juan will look for them tomorrow night
Juan los buscará mañana en la noche
Again do you see how the pattern works? We suggest that you figure out which verbs you use the most and try to make a list with the direct object pronouns.
I am going to show you how to do this using conjugated verbs with the Simple present tense:
| Useful verbs with direct object pronouns in Spanish | |||
| To have – Tener | To buy – Comprar | To do – Hacer | To want – Querer |
| I have it | I buy it | I do it | I want it |
| Lo tengo | Lo compro | Lo hago | Lo quiero |
| Los tengo | Los compro | Los hago | Los quiero |
| La tengo | La compro | La hago | La quiero |
| Las tengo | Las compro | Las hago | Las quiero |
Trust us this works! Well it is another trick to learn, if you are not that good with rules!
Try it and thank us later!
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 direct object can go before or after, examples:
- They are going to buy it
Ellos lo van a comprar
Ellos van a comprarlo
- I’m going to wait for her
Yo la voy a esperar
Yo voy a esperarla
- Ana can clean it
Ana lo puede limpiar
Ana puede limpiarlo
- I have to cook it
Yo lo tengo que cocinar
Yo tengo que cocinarlo
When the verb is in gerund (Ando/iendo) the Present progressive tense or in any other situation (Tener que, poder), the direct object pronoun could be placed before the infinitive verb and after the infinitive verb, Let’s check this out:
- I am cleaning it
Yo lo estoy limpiando
Yo estoy limpiándolo
- We are not watching it
Nosotros no lo estamos viendo
Nosotros no estamos viéndolo
Note: When the verb is in gerund (Ando/Iendo) and the direct object pronoun Spanish is used at the end of the verb, it is necessary to mark the accent Limpiándolo/Viéndolo.
Imperative verbs (Commands)
In the affirmative imperative mood, the direct object pronoun always goes at the end of the verb, examples:
- Read it
Léalo
- Clean it up!
¡Límpialo!
- Look for her in the garden
Búscala en el jardín
On the other hand, in the negative imperative mood, the direct object pronoun always goes before the verb, examples:
- Don’t do it
No lo hagas
- Don’t wait for her
No la esperes
Note: The imperative mood (Commands) is quite an advanced topic to learn, so don’t worry if you don’t know about this topic yet, here we are just giving you an overview of it.
Now that you know what are and how to use the direct object pronouns in Spanish.
Let’s practice.
Practice time
Now it is your turn to practice the direct objects
Identify the direct objects in the following sentences – Remember the trick What and Who and convert the sentence using the respective direct object pronoun
- She cleans the car
Ella limpia el carro
- You have to wash the clothes
Tú tienes que lavar la ropa
- Can you help Ana and Maria?
¿Puedes ayudar a Ana y Maria?
- We are singing a Spanish song
Estamos cantando una canción española
- We cook pasta with his friends
Nosotros cocinamos la pasta con sus amigos
II. Fill in the blanks:
- That car is very luxurious, I want it
Ese carro es muy lujoso, yo _________ (Querer)
- The book is very interesting, do you read it too)?
El libro es muy interesante, ¿tú también __________ (leer)?
- We need the cake for the party, does Ana make it?
Necesitamos la torta para la fiesta, ¿Ana ___________ (Hacer)
- The dog is not in the garden, look for it, it is an order!
El perro no está en el jardín, ¡_________(Buscar) es una orden!
- Don’t you have money to pay for dinner? Okay, I pay it
¿No tienes dinero para pagar la cena? Está bien, yo _________ (Pagar)
- The shirt is nice, are you going to buy it?
La camisa es bonita, ¿Vas a _________ (Comprar)?
- Your room is very dirty, you have to clean it
Tu habitación está muy sucia, tienes que __________ (Limpiar)
- I didn’t help her, Laura was not my friend in college
Yo no ____________ (Ayudar), Laura no era mi amiga en la universidad
- We do not have apples, can you buy them in the store
No tenemos manzanas, ¿puedes _______ (Comprar) en la tienda?
- The girls are alone at home, can you take care of them?
Las niñas están solas en la casa, ¿puedes _________ (Cuidar)?
- I looked for Maria and her friends in the park and I didn’t find them
Busqué a Maria y a sus amigas en el parque y no ________ (Encontrar)
Note: The answers are at the end of the article.
Final words
Great job! You’ve done it!
You’re a champion! You’ve navigated through the complexities of Spanish direct object pronouns – take that, Romans!
You’ve just finished reading one of the most comprehensive guides on Spanish direct object pronouns. Make sure to keep it handy!
Now, you’re ready to converse like a native Spanish speaker. We know this is a challenging topic, but it’s an incredibly useful one that will significantly improve your Spanish skills.
Don’t worry if it seems like a lot of information at first. Once you understand the patterns, using and learning Spanish direct object pronouns becomes much easier. And remember, practice is key, especially with a native Spanish speaker.
Answers
Here are the answers to the exercises of the direct object pronouns Spanish.
I. Identify the direct objects in the following sentences – Remember the trick What and Who and convert the sentence using the respective direct object pronoun
- She cleans the car
Ella limpia el carro
What: The car – El carro
Direct object: Lo limpio
- You have to wash the clothes
Tú tienes que lavar la ropa
What: The clothes – La ropa
Direct object: La lavo
- Can you help Ana and Maria?
¿Puedes ayudar a Ana y Maria?
Who: Ana y Maria
Direct object: Las ayudo
- We are singing a Spanish song
Estamos cantando una canción española
What: The song- La canción
Direct object: La cantamos
- We cook pasta with his friends
Nosotros cocinamos la pasta con sus amigos
What: The pasta – la pasta
Direct object: La cocino
II. Fill in the blanks:
- That car is very luxurious, I want it
Ese carro es muy lujoso, yo lo quiero
- The book is very interesting, do you read it too)?
El libro es muy interesante, ¿tú también lo lees?
- We need the cake for the party, does Ana make it?
Necesitamos la torta para la fiesta, ¿Ana la hace?
- The dog is not in the garden, look for it, it is an order!
El perro no está en el jardín, ¡Búscalo es una orden!
- Don’t you have money to pay for dinner? Okay, I pay it
¿No tienes dinero para pagar la cena? Está bien, yo la pago
- The shirt is nice, are you going to buy it?
La camisa es bonita, ¿Vas a comprarla? Or ¿La vas a comprar?
- Your room is very dirty, you have to clean it
Tu habitación está muy sucia, tienes que limpiarla or la tiene que limpiar
- I didn’t help her, because Laura was not my friend in college
Yo no la ayudé, porque Laura no era mi amiga en la universidad
- We do not have apples, can you buy them in the store
No tenemos manzanas, ¿puedes comprarlas en la tienda? Or ¿Las puedes comprar en la tienda?
- The girls are alone at home, can you take care of them?
Las niñas están solas en la casa, ¿puedes cuidarlas? Or ¿Las puedes cuidar?
- I looked for Maria and her friends in the park and I didn’t find them
Busqué a Maria y a sus amigas en el parque y no las encontré
Check out our series of Complete Spanish Grammar articles – everything you’ll ever need to know about Spanish grammar.
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