- Direct object (what or whom): me, te, lo / la, nos, os, los / las. ¿El libro? Lo tengo.
- Indirect object (to whom): me, te, le, nos, os, les. Le escribo una carta (I write a letter to him/her).
The pronoun goes before a conjugated verb, or on the end of an infinitive, a gerund or a positive command: Quiero verlo. ¡Cómelo!
With both, the indirect comes first, and le / les becomes se before lo, la, los, las: Le doy el libro → Se lo doy.
In Spain you often hear le for 'him' (Le vi ayer) — this leísmo is accepted for people.
| direct (what / whom) | indirect (to whom) | |
|---|---|---|
| me | me | me |
| you (tú) | te | te |
| him / her / it / you (usted) | lo / la | le (se) |
| us | nos | nos |
| you (vosotros) | os | os |
| them / you (ustedes) | los / las | les (se) |
Examples
- ¿Tienes las llaves? — Sí, las tengo.Have you got the keys? — Yes, I've got them.
- Le doy un regalo a mi madre.I give my mother a present.
- Se lo explico mañana.I'll explain it to him/her tomorrow.
- ¿Me ayudas?Will you help me?
- Voy a comprarlo.I'm going to buy it.
✅ Exercises
9 exercises: choose the right answer or type the missing word. Score 70% to complete the topic.