Spanish grammar by topic › Spanish object pronouns, explained

Spanish object pronouns, explained

Object pronouns replace a noun you've already mentioned: ¿El pan? Lo compro yo. Direct objects (lo, la, los, las) receive the action; indirect objects (le, les) say to whom or for whom.

The tricky parts are the order when there are two, le becoming se, and where the pronouns go with infinitives, gerunds and commands.

The essentials

Direct: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las. Indirect: me, te, le, nos, os, les.
Indirect before direct: me lo da. Le or les before lo, la, los or las becomes se: se lo doy.
Before a conjugated verb (lo veo), or attached to an infinitive or gerund (quiero verlo, estoy viéndolo).
Attached to positive commands (dímelo), before negative ones (no me lo digas).
Spanish often keeps le even when the person is named: le di el libro a María.

Every lesson on this topic

Each lesson has a full explanation, examples you can listen to, and exercises with answers.

A1 (the A1 course)

lo, la, los, las: the first object pronouns: Replacing a noun: ¿El pan? Lo compro yo
me, te, le, nos, os, les with gustar and dar: To whom? Le doy el libro, nos gusta el cine
The personal a: Veo a María: A before a person as the direct object: Veo a María, but Veo la playa

A2 (the A2 course)

Direct object pronouns in full: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las: replace the person or thing that receives the action.
Indirect object pronouns and redundant le: me, te, le, nos, os, les: to whom or for whom, and why Spanish says le even when the person is named.
Two pronouns together: me lo, se lo: Indirect before direct, and le/les + lo becomes se lo.
Where pronouns go: before the verb, or attached: Before a conjugated verb; before or attached with an infinitive or gerund; never inside haber + participle.

B1 (the B1 course)

Commands with pronouns: dímelo, no me lo digas: Where object pronouns go in commands, how to add the accent, and vámonos, sentaos, dígamelo.

C1 (the C1 course)

Leísmo, laísmo, loísmo: Spain's variation and the norm: Why some Spaniards say le vi a él, what the RAE accepts, and which system to use yourself.

In the app, these lessons are taught one idea at a time with audio, practised with questions that explain the rule when you slip, and brought back for review on later days.

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