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INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS IN SPANISH
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LISTEN
Indirect object pronouns use the same words as direct object pronouns
except for when in the third person (le and les).
ME (me)
TE
(you informal)
LE (him, her, it, you formal)*
NOS (us)
OS
(you all informal)
LES (them, you all formal)**
*LE is used for both masculine and feminine - singular
**LES is also used for both masculine and femenine - plural
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First you must learn to distinguish between DIRECT OBJECT and INDIRECT
OBJECT in Spanish sentences.
The indirect object answers the question "To whom?" or "For
whom?" the action of the verb is performed.
Arturo compra una blusa a su madre Arturo buys a blouse to his mother
In the above sentence una blusa (a blouse) is the DIRECT OBJECT NOUN because it is the word that receives
the action of the verb comprar (to buy). Su madre (his mother) is the INDIRECT OBJECT NOUN because it indicates "For
whom" the blouse was bought.
If we replace the INDIRECT OBJECT NOUN, the sentence will be:
Arturo le compra una blusa
Arturo buys a blouse to her
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Since le and les can refer to different person, the clause (a + name
or noun) is added to emphasize or prevent ambiguity.
Examples:
Gustavo le compra flores a Gladys
Gustavo buys flowers to Gladys
Gustavo le compra flores
a su esposa Gustavo buys flowers to his wife
Andrés me explicó la tarea a mí Andrés explained me the homework
Andrés te explicó la tarea a tí
Andrés explained you the homework
Andrés nos
explicó la tarea a Lorena y a mí
Andrés explained the homework to Lorena and me.
We can also add the clause "a +
pronoun" to clarify to whom the indirect object pronouns le and les refer:
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Yo le
di un regalo a
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él
ella
usted
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I gave a gift to him
I gave a gift to her
I
gave a gift to you
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Yo les
di un regalo a
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ellos
ellas
ustedes
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I gave a gift to them (masculine)
I
gave a gift to them (feminine)
I gave a gift to you all
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PRONOUN PLACEMENT
Before the conjugated
verb:
Julia les
alquila una película a sus hijos Julia rents a movie
for her children
Yo te contesté
las preguntas I answered you the questions
Attached to infinitive
verb and -ndo forms:
Julia va a alquilarles una película a sus hijos
Julia is going to rent a movie for her
children
Yo estoy contestándote
las preguntas*
I am answering you the questions
*When you attach the pronoun at the end of the -ndo form, an accent mark is needed. The accent goes on the vowel preceding -ndo.
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