Direct and Indirect Object in Spanish

How to Use the Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Together?

Direct Object Pronouns/ Indirect Object Pronouns/ English Equivalent me/ me/ me te/ te/ you (familiar) lo, la/ le/ him, her, it, you (formal) nos/ nos/ us os/ os/ you-all (informal) los, las/ les/ them, you-all (formal)

Note: When you have both a direct object pronoun and an indirect object pronoun in the same sentence, the indirect object pronoun comes first.

e.g.

Ellas me los dan. – They give them to me. IO pronoun: me DO pronoun: los Yo te la vendo. – I sell it to you. IO pronoun: te DO pronoun: la

Note: Whenever both pronouns begin with the letter “l” change the first pronoun to “se”

le lo = se lo

le la = se la

le los = se los

le las = se las

les lo = se lo

les la = se la

les los = se los

les las = se las

Tip: The reason for changing “le lo” to “se lo” is merely to avoid the tongue-twisting effect of two short consecutive words that begin with the letter “l”.

Note: In negative sentences, the negative word comes directly before the first pronoun.

e.g.

No te la  puedo arreglar – I can’t fix it for you.

Nunca se los compro. –  I never buy them for her.

Note: Because the pronoun “se” can have so many meanings, it is often helpful to clarify it by using a prepositional phrase.

e.g.

Ella se lo preguntó. – She asked him (to Joseph).

Nosotros se lo hicimos. – We did it to him. (to Joseph)

Ellos se lo comieron. – They  ate (it)

Yo te la cambié. – I changed it (for you)

Note: In sentences with two verbs, there are two options regarding the placement of the pronouns. Place them immediately before the conjugated verb or attach them directly to the infinitive.

e.g.

Place it immediately before the conjugated verb

Ella se lo necesita dar – She needs to give him (the key)

Ella nos lo debe prestar  – She must lend us (the money).

 

e.g.

Attach it directly to the infinitive

Ella necesita dárselo – She needs to give him the key.

Ella debe prestárnoslo – She must lend us (the money)

 

Look how it works:

e.g.

Ella se lo necesita dar – She needs to give him (the key)

Ella necesita dárselo – She needs to give him (the key)

Ella nos lo debe prestar – She must lend us (the money)

Ella debe prestárnoslo – She must lend us (the money)

 

Note: When attaching the pronouns to the infinitive, a written accent is also added to the final syllable of the infinitive. This preserves the sound of the infinitive.

e.g.

Ella necesita dárselo

Ella debe prestárnoslo

 

Note: When the pronouns are attached to the infinitive, make the sentence negative by placing the negative word directly before the conjugated verb.

e.g.

Ella no necesita dárselo – She  doesn’t need to give him (the key) Ella no debe prestárnoslo – She shouldn’t  lend us (the money)

 

Note: When the pronouns come before the conjugated verb, make the sentence negative by placing the negative word directly before the pronouns.

e.g.

Ella no se lo necesita dar – She  doesn’t need to give him (the key) Ella no nos lo debe prestar – She shouldn’t lend us (the money)

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