Object pronouns · Spanish grammar A2

The direct object: lo, la, los, las, me, te, nos, os#

Formation

The direct object pronoun replaces a noun already known. In the third person, it agrees in gender and number with that noun: lo, la, los, las. In the other persons, it does not change: me, te, nos, os. With usted and ustedes, lo, la, los, las are used: Señora, la llamo mañana.

	Singular	Plural
first person	me	nos
second person	te	os
third person, usted, ustedes	lo (masculine), la (feminine)	los (masculine), las (feminine)

The place of the pronoun. The pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb, and after no: ¿El periódico? No lo leo. With a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive (ir a, tener que, poder, querer), it is placed before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive: Lo voy a comprar or Voy a comprarlo. After hay que, it is attached to the infinitive: Hay que hacerlo. With estar + gerund, it is placed before estar or attached to the gerund, which then takes a written accent: La estoy escuchando or Estoy escuchándola. In the pretérito perfecto, it is placed before haber: Lo he comprado. In the affirmative imperative, it is attached to the verb (“The imperative with a pronoun, and instructions: cómpralo, siéntate, sigue recto”).

Neuter lo. Lo also refers to an idea, a statement or a whole question; it does not agree: No lo sé (“I don’t know”), Ya lo sé (“I know”), ¿Lo entiendes?

¿La tarta? La hace mi abuela.The cake? My grandmother makes it.
¿Dónde están mis llaves? No las encuentro.Where are my keys? I can’t find them.
Mis padres me llevan al aeropuerto.My parents are taking me to the airport.
¿Las fotos? Las tengo que imprimir hoy.The photos? I have to print them today.
¿A qué hora cierra el banco? — No lo sé.What time does the bank close? — I don’t know.

Difference from English

English places the object pronoun after the verb: “I see him”, “I buy it”. Spanish places it before the conjugated verb: lo veo, lo compro; only an infinitive, a gerund and an affirmative imperative take it at the end. English “it” has two Spanish forms, chosen by the gender of the Spanish noun: “the film” (la película) is taken up by la, “the car” (el coche) by lo. “Them” is los or las according to gender. “I don’t know” is usually No lo sé, with the pronoun.

Common mistakes

~~Compro lo mañana.~~ → Lo compro mañana.The pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb.
~~¿La película? Lo vemos esta noche.~~ → ¿La película? La vemos esta noche.Película is feminine: “it” is la.
~~¿El coche? Le lavo los sábados.~~ → ¿El coche? Lo lavo los sábados.For a thing, the masculine direct object pronoun is lo.
~~Lo hay que hacer.~~ → Hay que hacerlo.After hay que, the pronoun is attached to the infinitive.
~~Vi a ella en la calle.~~ → La vi en la calle.“Her” as direct object is the pronoun la, placed before the verb.

Practise

“Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, The direct object: lo, la, los, las “Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, The direct object: me, te, nos, os “Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, Where the pronoun goes: lo voy a ver, voy a verlo

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The preposition a before a person: veo a Ana#

Use

A direct object that refers to a specific person is preceded by the preposition a: Veo a Ana, Busco a mi hermano, Conozco a tu profesora. Before el, a contracts to al: Llamo al médico. A thing, a place or an unspecified person takes no a: Veo el mar, Busco un taxi, Necesitamos un camarero. After tener, a person is usually used without a: Tengo dos hermanos.

A question about a person as direct object also takes a: ¿A quién buscas? The pronoun lo or la then replaces a and the noun together: ¿Ves a Pablo? — Sí, lo veo.

Esta tarde visito a mis abuelos.This afternoon I’m visiting my grandparents.
¿Conoces al novio de Lucía?Do you know Lucía’s boyfriend?
Espero a mi hermana en la estación.I’m waiting for my sister at the station.
¿A quién llamas? — A mi madre.Who are you calling? — My mother.

Difference from English

English does not mark a person as direct object: “I see Ana”, “I’m helping my neighbour”. In Spanish, a is placed before the person: Veo a Ana, Ayudo a mi vecino. This a is not translated, and it is not “to”. “Wait for” and “look for” are esperar and buscar, with no word for “for”: “I’m waiting for my sister” is Espero a mi hermana, with the personal a only because the object is a person. “Who” as object is ¿A quién…?

Common mistakes

~~Los domingos busco mi hermano en la estación.~~ → Los domingos busco a mi hermano en la estación.A person as direct object is preceded by a.
~~Espero para mi hermana.~~ → Espero a mi hermana.Esperar means “to wait for”; the person is introduced by the personal a.
~~Busco a un taxi.~~ → Busco un taxi.A thing takes no a.
~~Tengo a tres primos.~~ → Tengo tres primos.After tener, a person is usually used without a.

Practise

“Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, The preposition a before a person: veo a Ana

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The indirect object: le, les#

Formation

The indirect object pronoun refers to the person to whom something is given, said or shown: me, te, le, nos, os, les. In the third person, it varies only in number: le means “(to) him” and “(to) her” alike, and les means “(to) them”. With usted and ustedes, le and les are also used. It is placed like the direct object pronoun: before the conjugated verb, or attached to the infinitive, the gerund or the affirmative imperative: Voy a escribirle.

	Singular	Plural
first person	me	nos
second person	te	os
third person, usted, ustedes	le	les

The verbs used with an indirect object are mainly verbs of exchange: dar, decir, escribir, regalar, enseñar, preguntar, pedir, explicar. The same pronoun refers to the person who likes with gustar (le gusta, les gusta): “Gustar with every person, and verbs like it: encantar, importar, molestar, doler”.

Mi tía vive en México y le escribo cada semana.My aunt lives in Mexico and I write to her every week.
¿Qué les regalas a tus padres?What are you giving your parents?
Señor Ruiz, le enseño la habitación.Mr Ruiz, I’ll show you the room.
¿Me explicas el ejercicio?Can you explain the exercise to me?

Difference from English

English says “I give her a book” or “I give a book to her”; Spanish has one construction, with the pronoun before the verb: Le doy un libro. Le is used for a man, a woman and usted alike, so “I write to her” is le escribo: la is a direct object. “To” is not translated before the pronoun.

Common mistakes

~~La escribo una carta a mi abuela.~~ → Le escribo una carta a mi abuela.The indirect object pronoun is le, for a woman too.
~~Los doy un regalo a mis primos.~~ → Les doy un regalo a mis primos.“(To) them” is les.
~~Escribo a ella.~~ → Le escribo.“To her” is the pronoun le, placed before the verb.
~~Doy les las llaves.~~ → Les doy las llaves.The pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb.

Practise

“Gustar and verbs like it: te gusta, me encanta, me duele”, Gustar with tú, él, ella: te gusta, le gusta “Gustar and verbs like it: te gusta, me encanta, me duele”, Gustar with nosotros, vosotros, ellos: nos, os, les gusta “Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, The indirect object: le, les

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The pronoun and the noun together: le doy un libro a Ana#

Use

When the indirect object is named (a Ana, a mis padres), it is usually announced by le or les before the verb: Le doy un libro a Ana. The pronoun agrees in number with the noun: Les escribo a mis abuelos. It is compulsory when a + noun is placed at the start of the sentence (A mi hermano le compro un reloj) and with a stressed pronoun: Le doy el libro a ella.

Le regalo flores a mi madre.I’m giving my mother flowers.
Les enseño las fotos a mis amigos.I’m showing my friends the photos.
A Pablo le preguntamos la hora.We ask Pablo the time.

Difference from English

English never names the same person twice: “I give my mother flowers”. In Spanish, the pronoun and the noun usually appear in the same sentence: Le regalo flores a mi madre, literally “I give her flowers to my mother”. The pronoun is not translated.

Common mistakes

~~Le doy un regalo a mis padres.~~ → Les doy un regalo a mis padres.The pronoun agrees in number with mis padres.
~~A Ana doy un libro.~~ → A Ana le doy un libro.When a + noun is at the start of the sentence, the pronoun is compulsory.

In short

Point	Rule	Example
direct object	me, te, lo / la, nos, os, los / las	Lo como. Las veo.
neuter lo	an idea, a statement	No lo sé.
place	before the conjugated verb	No la conozco.
with an infinitive	before or attached	La voy a ver. Voy a verla.
hay que	attached	Hay que hacerlo.
perfecto	before haber	Lo he visto.
a + person	a person as direct object	Veo a Ana.
indirect object	me, te, le, nos, os, les	Le escribo.
pronoun and noun	le … a + noun	Le doy un libro a Ana.

Practise

“Object pronouns: lo, la, le, me, te”, The pronoun and its noun: le … a Ana

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