G10 · Grammar

Object Pronouns — Lo, La, Le

Replace nouns: I see it, I give her, I buy them

Direct object pronouns

Direct object pronouns replace the thing or person receiving the action: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las.

¿El libro? Lo leo. (The book? I read it.)

¿La película? La vi anoche. (The film? I saw it last night.)

¿Las llaves? Las tengo yo. (The keys? I have them.)

Position: before the verb

Unlike English, the pronoun goes before the conjugated verb.

Lo compro. (I buy it — literally "it I-buy".)

No la conozco. (I do not know her.) — no goes first

Indirect object pronouns

Indirect pronouns mark to/for whom: me, te, le, nos, os, les. Note le/les for him, her, them.

Le doy el libro. (I give him/her the book.)

Les escribo un correo. (I write them an email.)

¿Me prestas tu boli? (Will you lend me your pen?)

With infinitives: two options

With ir a + infinitive, querer + infinitive etc., the pronoun can go before the first verb or attach to the infinitive. Both are correct.

Lo voy a comprar. = Voy a comprarlo. (I am going to buy it.)

Te quiero ver. = Quiero verte. (I want to see you.)

Two pronouns together

When both appear, the indirect comes first: me lo, te la, nos los... And le/les + lo/la becomes se lo / se la.

¿El regalo? Te lo doy mañana. (I will give it to you tomorrow.)

¿El libro a Juan? Se lo presto. (I lend it to him.)

Common Mistakes

Traps for English speakers

These are the errors English speakers make most often.

Veo lo.
Lo veo.
Pronouns go before the conjugated verb, not after
La no conozco.
No la conozco.
No comes before the pronoun: no + pronoun + verb
Le veo. (I see him)
Lo veo.
Seeing someone is a direct object: lo/la, not le
Doy el libro a él → Doy le el libro.
Le doy el libro.
The indirect pronoun also goes before the verb
Le lo doy.
Se lo doy.
le + lo is impossible — it always becomes se lo

Recap: Object Pronouns

Direct
me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las
¿El libro? Lo leo.
Indirect
me, te, le, nos, os, les
Le doy el libro.
Position
before the conjugated verb
No la conozco.
With infinitive
before or attached
Lo voy a comprar / Voy a comprarlo.
Two together
indirect + direct; le+lo → se lo
Te lo doy. Se lo presto.
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