Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns

Why use pronouns? We use pronouns when we want to avoid repeating the noun. The boys bought a book. The boys gave the book to their mother. Their mother read the book. Instead, we can use pronouns….The boys bought a book. They gave it to their mother. She read it.

You have already learned about direct objects… Direct objects answer the questions WHO? or WHAT? about the verb.

Examples: She reads the book She reads what?The book He calls his grandmother. He calls who? His grandmother

Direct Object Pronouns Me Te Lo Las Nos Os Los Las

En español Ella lee el libro. Ella lo lee. Él llama a su abuela. Él la llama

Indirect Objects Indirect objects answer the questions TO WHOM? or FOR WHOM? about the verb. The Indirect Object tells us where the Direct Object is going.

You must have a direct object (stated or implied) to have an indirect object. He shows the book to the girl. D.O.I.O.

Examples: He sells the car to us. He sells the car to whom?To us Where is the car going?To us She buys the necklace for me. She buys the necklace for whom? For me Where is the necklace going?To me

Indirect Object Pronouns Me Te Le Nos Os Les

Examples: We give a gift to our grandmother. Nosotros damos un regalo a nuestra abuela. Nosotros le damos un regalo.

Pronoun Placement Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb. Tú me lees el libro. Attach the pronoun to the end of a command. Léeme el libro. If there is an infinitive, the pronoun may go before the conjugated verb or after the infinitive. Tú me vas a leer el libro. Tú vas a leerme el libro.

Clarifying “le” and “les” Le and Les are ambiguous. (They are unclear.) It could be él, ella, ud., ellos, ellas, uds. Prepositional phrases are often used for clarity. Yo le escribo una carta. To whom does “le” refer? Yo le escribo una carta a mi prima. (clarifies “le”)

Emphasis Prepositional phrases are also used for emphasis. Use: a + name/subject pronoun a Miguela mi amigaa nosotros With “to me” and “to you” you must use special pronouns… a mía ti (just like with gustar)