Object Pronouns in Spanish: lo, la, le and Friends
How direct and indirect object pronouns replace nouns, where they go in a sentence and the le to se rule.
Object pronouns let you avoid repeating nouns.
Direct object pronouns
They replace the thing or person that receives the action.
| Person | Pronoun |
|---|---|
| me | me |
| you | te |
| him, it (m.), you (formal m.) | lo |
| her, it (f.), you (formal f.) | la |
| us | nos |
| you all (Spain) | os |
| them (m.) | los |
| them (f.) | las |
- ¿Ves el coche? Sí, lo veo.
- ¿Compras la casa? Sí, la compro.
- Los conozco. I know them.
Indirect object pronouns
They show to whom or for whom: me, te, le, nos, os, les.
- Le doy el libro. I give him/her the book.
- Te escribo una carta. I'm writing you a letter.
Position
The pronoun goes before a conjugated verb:
- Lo quiero. I want it.
It can attach to an infinitive or gerund:
- Quiero comprarlo. I want to buy it.
- Estoy leyéndolo. I'm reading it.
Both pronouns together
The indirect pronoun comes first:
- Me lo da. He gives it to me.
Le becomes se
When le or les comes before lo, la, los or las, it changes to se:
- Se lo doy. I give it to him/her. (not le lo doy)
Commands
- Affirmative: attach: Dámelo. Give it to me.
- Negative: separate: No me lo des. Don't give it to me.
Tips
- Learn lo, la, los, las.
- Place before the verb.
- Remember le → se.
- Use the dictionary to check verbs.
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