Leísmo, laísmo, loísmo: Spain's variation and the norm

You learned the object pronouns in Direct object pronouns in full and Indirect object pronouns and redundant le: lo, la, los, las for the direct object (who or what) and le, les for the indirect object (to / for whom). This is called the etymological system, because it continues the Latin cases, and it is used in most of the Spanish-speaking world. In central and northern Spain, however, speakers often use the pronouns differently. You will hear it constantly in Madrid, on Spanish television and in novels, so you need to recognise it.

• A Lucía la vi ayer en el metro.I saw Lucía on the metro yesterday.
• A Lucía le di tu número.I gave Lucía your number.
• El informe lo tengo en el despacho.I've got the report in my office.

Leísmo: le as a direct object

Leísmo is using le or les for a direct object. The RAE (Nueva gramática, Diccionario panhispánico de dudas) distinguishes several kinds:

• A tu hermano lo conocí en la universidad.I met your brother at university.
• A tu hermano le conocí en la universidad.I met your brother at university.

Both are correct. The first is the etymological form used everywhere; the second is accepted leísmo.

Leísmo de cortesía

With usted, many speakers who otherwise use lo and la say le as a direct object to sound more respectful: ¿Le acompaño, señora?, Le saluda atentamente. The RAE describes this as widespread and acceptable.

• ¿Le acompaño hasta la puerta, señora?Shall I see you to the door, madam?

Laísmo and loísmo

• Laísmo is using la or las for a feminine indirect object: La dije que viniera instead of Le dije que viniera. It is common in colloquial speech in parts of central Spain, including Madrid, but the norm does not accept it.
• Loísmo is using lo or los for an indirect object: Lo di un golpe instead of Le di un golpe. It is rarer, mainly rural and colloquial, and strongly stigmatised.

• A mis primas las invité a la boda.I invited my cousins to the wedding.
• A mis primas les mandé una invitación.I sent my cousins an invitation.

Where each system is used

• Etymological (lo/la direct, le indirect): Andalusia, the Canary Islands, most of the Spanish-speaking Americas.
• Leísmo with masculine persons: very common in central and northern Spain, from Madrid to Castile and León.
• Wider leísmo, including feminine persons: the Basque Country and some areas in contact with other languages, such as Paraguay and parts of the Andes, where the pattern has its own history.
• Laísmo (and, less often, loísmo): central Castile, including Madrid, mainly in informal speech.

Verbs where le is normal

Verbs like gustar, doler, preocupar or interesar take an indirect object, so le is the standard form for everyone:

• A Marta le preocupa la reunión.The meeting worries Marta.

With impersonal se, both se le considera and se lo / se la considera are found: se le is very common in Spain, se lo / se la in much of Latin America.

Which system should you use?

Use the etymological system in your own Spanish: it is correct everywhere. Recognise le vi (to a man) as accepted Spain usage, and avoid laísmo and loísmo even if you hear them.

Common mistakes

• A María le vi: a feminine direct object takes la, A María la vi.
• La dije la verdad: decir has an indirect object (to whom), Le dije la verdad. This is laísmo.
• El coche le aparqué fuera: a thing as direct object takes lo, El coche lo aparqué fuera.
• Correcting a Spaniard's A tu padre le vi ayer as a mistake: it is accepted leísmo.
• Los di las llaves: an indirect object takes les, Les di las llaves. This is loísmo.