Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns

Esp. 3.2

Object pronouns replace nouns and receive the action of a verb.

Object Pronouns

Examples in English:I help you.◦receiving the action

Did you buy the book? I bought it.◦replacing the noun

Object Pronouns Continued

Direct Object Pronouns (DOPs): Used when a verb directly acts upon the object.

Direct Object Pronouns

Me-me Nos-us

Te-you Os-y’all

Lo-he/itLa-she/it

Los-themLas-them

Mi abuelo me quiere mucho.-My grandfather loves me a lot.

Ejemplos

¿Julio? Sí, nosotros lo llamamos. -Julio? Yes, we called him.

Ejemplos

Indirect object pronouns (IOPs) are used when the verb affects the noun in an indirect way.

Indirect Object Pronouns

Me-to /for me Nos-to /for us

Te-to/for you Os-to/for y’all

Le-to/for him/her/it

Les-to/for them

When you translate the indirect object pronouns into English you translate as “To whom” or “For whom”

IOPs Continued

Hablar-to talk (to you)

Escribir-to write (to you)

Comprar-to buy (for you)

Pedir-to ask (for it)

Servir-to serve (to you)

Traer-to bring (to you)

Dar-to give (to you)

Decir-to tell (to you)

IOPs-Verbs that use them

Siempre te digo mis secretos. I always tell you my secrets. (I always tell my secrets to you.)

Ejemplos

El doctor les da la medicina.

The doctor gives them the medicine.

(The doctor gives the medicine to them.)

Ejemplos

Where to put them?

Before a conjugated verb

Attached to an infinitive

Te quiero ver

◦I want to see you.

Le va a hablar.◦She is going to talk to him.

Quiero verte.◦I want to see you.

Va a hablarle.◦She is going to talk to him.

Write the IOP first, then the DOP.

Te lo doy. I give it to you.

What if I have a DOP and IOP?

If le/les comes before lo, la, los, las then it changes to “se.”

El camarero se lo sirvió. The waiter served it to him.

Careful!