Double pronouns replace both an indirect object and a direct object within the same sentence. The indirect object pronoun indicates to whom or for whom the action is done, while the direct object pronoun names the thing or person that directly receives that action. To understand how they work, it is useful to master first Indirect Object Pronouns, Direct Object Pronouns, and Pronouns.

When they appear together, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. The normal sequence is me, te, le, nos, os, les followed by lo, la, los, las. This fixed placement allows quickly identifying the function of each pronoun in the sentence.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
El pronombre de objeto indirecto precede al pronombre de objeto directo.The indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun.	Te lo entrego.I give it to you.
La serie del objeto indirecto aparece antes que la serie del objeto directo.The indirect object sequence appears before the direct object sequence.	Nos la mandaron.They sent it to us.
La secuencia mantiene el orden incluso con varios pronombres átonos.The sequence maintains the order even with several clitic pronouns.	Les los expliqué.I explained them to them.

When le or les are followed by lo, la, los, or las, the obligatory combination becomes se plus the direct object pronoun. This modification avoids the sequence le lo, le la, les lo, or les las, which is not the normative form. The pronoun preserves the indirect reference and prepares the correct combination.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Le se convierte en se ante un pronombre de objeto directo.Le becomes se before a direct object pronoun.	Se lo dije.I told him it.
Les se convierte en se ante un pronombre de objeto directo.Les becomes se before a direct object pronoun.	Se las presté.I lent them to him.
La forma le lo no es la secuencia correcta.The sequence le lo is not the correct order.	Se lo vi.I saw it for him.

The direct object pronoun agrees in gender and number with the referent it substitutes. That's why lo, la, los and las change according to the noun they replace, while the indirect object pronoun keeps its basic form. This agreement helps to distinguish whether the referent is masculine or feminine and whether it is singular or plural.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Lo sustituye un referente masculino singular.Lo is substituted by a singular masculine referent.	Lo compré.I bought it.
La sustituye un referente femenino singular.La is substituted by a singular feminine referent.	La invité.I invited her.
Los sustituye un referente masculino plural.Los is substituted by a plural masculine referent.	Los conocí.I met them.
Las sustituye un referente femenino plural.Las is substituted by a plural feminine referent.	Las vi.I saw them.

With a conjugated verb, double pronouns usually go before the verb. With compound tenses, they are placed before the auxiliary haber. With periphrases and constructions with an infinitive or gerund, they can go before the conjugated verb or attach to the infinitive or gerund depending on the structure. In all cases, the chosen form keeps the indirect object and the direct object together.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
Con un verbo conjugado, los pronombres van antes del verbo.With a conjugated verb, the pronouns go before the verb.	Te lo di.I gave it to you.
Con tiempos compuestos, van antes del auxiliar haber.With compound tenses, they go before the auxiliary haber.	Te lo he dicho.I have told you it.
Con infinitivo, pueden ir unidos al infinitivo.With infinitive, they can be joined to the infinitive.	Voy a decírtelo.I'm going to tell you it.
Con perífrasis, pueden ir antes del verbo conjugado.With periphrases, they can go before the conjugated verb.	Te lo voy a decir.I'm going to tell you it.
Con gerundio, pueden unirse al gerundio.With a gerund, they can attach to the gerund.	Está dándoselo.He is giving it to them.
Con gerundio, también pueden ir antes del verbo conjugado.With a gerund, they can also go before the conjugated verb.	Se lo está dando.He is giving it to them.

In the affirmative imperative, double pronouns attach to the verb. In the negative imperative, they are placed before the verb. The position changes, but the relationship between the indirect object pronoun and the direct object pronoun remains the same.

IdeaIdea	EjemploExample
En el imperativo afirmativo, los pronombres se unen al verbo.In the affirmative imperative, the pronouns attach to the verb.	Dámelo.Give it to me.
En el imperativo negativo, los pronombres van antes del verbo.In the negative imperative, the pronouns go before the verb.	No me lo des.Don't give it to me.
La combinación conserva el orden indirecto antes de directo.The combination preserves the indirect-before-direct order.	Díselo.Tell it to him.

The use of le as a direct object, called leísmo, appears frequently in some varieties of Spain and can affect the expected choice of pronouns. In part of Latin America, redundant constructions with duplication of clitics are common in informal speech. The preference for joining or separating pronouns with an infinitive and a gerund can also vary depending on the register and the variety.

RegiónRegion	Palabra o FraseWord or Phrase	Definición RegionalRegional Definition	EjemploExample
EspañaSpain	leísmoLeísmo	El pronombre le puede usarse como objeto directo en algunas zonas.The pronoun le can be used as a direct object in some regions.	Le vi, dice ella.I saw him/her, she says.
América LatinaLatin America	duplicaciónDuplication	A veces aparece un pronombre junto al sintagma completo en el habla informal.Sometimes a pronoun appears next to the full phrase in informal speech.	Se lo di a Juan.I gave it to Juan.
Varias zonasSeveral regions	registroRegister	La unión o separación con infinitivo y gerundio puede variar según el estilo.The joining or separation with infinitive and gerund can vary depending on style.	Decírtelo suena más formal.Telling it to you sounds more formal.

The combination of the indirect object pronoun and the direct object pronoun allows condensing two functions into a single pronominal sequence. The fixed order, the change of le and les to se, the agreement of the direct object, and the placement according to the verb determine the correct form in each context. With these patterns, double pronouns can be integrated precisely into simple sentences, periphrases, gerunds, imperatives, and compound tenses.