Object Pronouns: Direct, Indirect and Combined Pronoun Order
Object pronouns include direct object pronouns (me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las), indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, os, les), and the rule that le and les change to se whenever they are followed directly by lo, la, los or las.
Before you start
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Method
- Use direct object pronouns to replace the thing or person directly receiving the action, agreeing in gender and number with the noun they replace: lo veo (I see him/it, masculine), la veo (I see her/it, feminine), los veo (I see them, masculine/mixed), las veo (I see them, feminine).
- Use indirect object pronouns to replace the person to/for whom the action is done: me, te, le, nos, os, les - le and les do not change for gender, so context or a clarifying phrase (a él, a ella, a usted) shows who is meant.
- Place a single object pronoun immediately before a conjugated verb: Lo compro, Le doy el libro, No te entiendo.
- Attach the pronoun to the end of an infinitive, a gerund or a positive command, adding a written accent where needed to keep the original stress: quiero comprarlo, está comiéndolo, cómpralo (never with a negative command: no lo compres).
- When both an indirect and a direct object pronoun appear together, put the indirect pronoun before the direct pronoun: Me lo da (He gives it to me), Te la explico (I explain it to you).
- Apply the special rule that le and les change to se whenever they are followed directly by lo, la, los or las, to avoid the awkward sound le lo: Se lo doy (I give it to him/her/them), never Le lo doy.
- With two pronouns attached to an infinitive, gerund or positive command, keep the same indirect-before-direct order and add the accent needed to preserve stress: voy a dárselo, dándoselo, dáselo.
Worked example
Rewrite each sentence, replacing the underlined nouns with the correct object pronoun(s): 1) Doy el regalo a mi hermana. 2) Compro las entradas para el concierto. 3) Voy a explicar la gramática a mis compañeros.
- Sentence 1 has an indirect object (a mi hermana) and a direct object (el regalo, masculine singular): the indirect pronoun le comes first, then the direct pronoun lo.
- Because le is followed by lo, the rule changes le to se: Se lo doy.
- Sentence 2 has only a direct object, las entradas (feminine plural), so it is replaced by the single pronoun las, placed before the conjugated verb: Las compro.
- Sentence 3 has an indirect object (a mis compañeros, replaced by les) and a direct object (la gramática, replaced by la); with an infinitive after voy a, the pronouns can attach to the end of explicar, and les changes to se because it is followed by la.
- The combined pronouns attach to the infinitive with an accent to keep the stress: Voy a explicársela.
Practice questions
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Q1Replace 'el libro' with the correct pronoun in: Leo el libro.Show answer
Answer: Lo leo.
Q2Replace 'a mis padres' with the correct pronoun in: Escribo una carta a mis padres.Show answer
Answer: Les escribo una carta.
Q3Combine into one pronoun sentence: Doy las flores a mi madre.Show answer
Answer: Se las doy.
Q4Where does the pronoun go in a positive command, 'buy it' (tú form of comprar, masculine object)?Show answer
Answer: Attached to the end of the verb: cómpralo.
Q5Why does 'le doy el regalo a mi amigo' not become 'le lo doy'?Show answer
Answer: Because le is followed by lo, it must change to se: se lo doy.
Q6Translate: 'I am watching them' (feminine plural people).Show answer
Answer: Las estoy viendo / Estoy viéndolas.
Q7Give the correct pronoun order for 'she explains it to us' (it = feminine).Show answer
Answer: Nos la explica.
Q8Correct the error: 'Cómpralo no', trying to say 'Don't buy it' to a friend.Show answer
Answer: A negative command needs the pronoun before the verb, not attached after: No lo compres.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a GCSE Spanish exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Translate into Spanish, using object pronouns wherever natural: 1) I bought some flowers for my mother and I gave them to her yesterday. 2) Can you explain the exercise to me, please? 3) We are going to send it (the letter, feminine) to them tomorrow. 4) Don't tell me that!
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Lee el texto y contesta en inglés. Texto: Mi hermana quería un vestido nuevo para la fiesta, así que mis padres se lo compraron el fin de semana pasado. A ella le encantó tanto que ahora quiere llevarlo a todas partes. Yo le pedí prestado el vestido para una boda, pero ella no me lo quiso prestar porque dice que es demasiado especial. Al final, mi madre me ayudó a encontrar otro vestido parecido y me lo regaló para mi cumpleaños. (a) What did the writer's sister want, and who bought it for her? (b) How did the sister react to the gift? (c) What did the writer ask their sister for, and why did she refuse? (d) Who helped the writer in the end, and how?
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See real GCSE Spanish past-paper questions, with official mark schemes →
Free printable worksheet
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