Object pronouns replace nouns that receive an action, making speech and writing more natural and concise.
Direct Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns replace nouns that directly receive an action, allowing you to avoid repetition.
English Direct Object Pronouns
English direct object pronouns appear after verbs and sometimes after prepositions, and they signal who or what receives the action.
| English Word(s) | English Direct Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
| the book | it | |
| John | him | |
| Mary | her | |
| the cookies | them |
La vi en la tienda.
Spanish Direct Object Pronouns
Spanish direct object pronouns usually appear before a conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command.
| English Direct Object Pronouns | Spanish Direct Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
| me | me | |
| you (informal) | te | |
| him / it (masc.) | lo | |
| her / it (fem.) | la | |
| us | nos | |
| you (plural) | os | |
| them (masc.) | los | |
| them (fem.) | las |
Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect object pronouns mark to whom or for whom an action is done, and they help clarify or shorten sentences.
English Indirect Object Pronouns
English indirect object pronouns often come before a direct object pronoun when both are used, and they indicate the recipient of something.
| English Word(s) | English Indirect Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
| to me / for me | me | |
| to you / for you | you | |
| to him / for him | him | |
| to her / for her | her | |
| to us / for us | us | |
| to you (pl.) / for you (pl.) | you | |
| to them / for them | them |
Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns
Spanish indirect object pronouns normally appear before conjugated verbs or attach to infinitives and commands, and they can be reinforced by a phrase like a Juan.
| English Indirect Object Pronouns | Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
| me | me | |
| you (informal) | te | |
| him / her / you (formal) | le | |
| us | nos | |
| you (plural) | os | |
| them / you (plural) | les |
Double Object Pronouns
When both indirect and direct object pronouns appear, they follow special rules in Spanish: the indirect pronoun le or les changes to se if followed by a direct pronoun that begins with l.
English Double Object Pronouns
English keeps indirect and direct object pronouns separate and in order, as in I gave her it or I gave it to her.
| Indirect Object Pronouns | Direct Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
| me | it / them / you / him / her | |
| you | it / them / me / him / her | |
| him / her / them / you | it / them / me / you / her | |
| us | it / them / you / him / her |
Spanish Double Object Pronouns
In Spanish, the indirect pronoun le/les becomes se when paired with a direct pronoun that starts with l, to avoid the tongue-twister le lo or les lo.
| Indirect Object Pronouns | Direct Object Pronouns | Double Object Pronouns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| me | lo / la / los / las | me + lo / la / los / las | |
| te | lo / la / los / las | te + lo / la / los / las | |
| le / les | lo / la / los / las | se + lo / la / los / las | |
| nos | lo / la / los / las | nos + lo / la / los / las | |
| os | lo / la / los / las | os + lo / la / los / las |
Placement
Object pronouns in Spanish typically precede conjugated verbs, attach to infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative commands, and come before negative commands.
Summary
Object pronouns streamline sentences by replacing nouns that receive actions; learn the forms for both direct and indirect pronouns, pay attention to double pronoun rules, and practice placement with different verb forms.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025