Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Combined

Traje el bronceador.

¿Me lo puedes aplicar?

(Los pronombres de complemento directo e indirecto usados juntos)

What is a Direct Object Pronoun?

The direct object of the sentence receives the action of the verb:

I hit the ball. What did I hit? THE BALL (direct object)I hit it. What did I hit? IT (direct object pronoun)

me noste oslo, la los, las

What is an indirect object?

The indirect object answers the question "To whom?" or "For whom?" the action of the verb is performed:

I gave the flowers to Marge. To whom? MARGE (indirect object)I gave the flowers to her. To whom? HER (indirect object pronoun)

me noste osle les

Where can you put a direct or indirect object pronoun in a sentence?

1. Before the conjugated verb.2. After and attached to the infinitive3. After and attached to a gerund

(ando, iendo)4. After and attached to a command.

As with all object pronouns, double object pronouns are placed before a conjugated verb, and the indirect object pronoun (IOP)

Spanish direct and indirect object pronouns may be used together in the same sentence just as in English. As with most all pronoun use, the objective is to reduce the length, complexity, or redundancy of the language.

Julián, ¿me traes la película?Julián, will you bring me the movie?

Te la traigo en un momento.I’ll bring it to you in a moment.

IOPDOP

goes before the direct object pronoun (DOP).

We also may place the pronouns after an infinitive or gerund, but both pronouns must remain next to each other, that is, both pronouns must come either in front of the conjugated verb or after the infinitive or gerund.

Julián, ¿me traes la película?Te la voy a traer en un

momento.Voy a traértela en un momento.Te la estoy trayendo ahora

mismo.Estoy trayéndotela ahora mismo.Notice that when the pronouns are placed after the

infinitive or gerund, they are closed up to each other and to the verb. Note also the written accents that must be added.

el balón.

tiraste

Yo te el balón.tirélo .

Tú melo .

Yo el balón.tirélo .lese

You can’t “le lo” in Spanish!

Le and les must change to se before lo, la, los or las.

I threw the ball to you.

You threw the ball to me.

I threw the ball to him.

I threw it to you.

You threw it to me.

I threw it to him.

se lo, se la, se los, se las

The context of the situation or the previous statement or question will clarify the meaning of se. Notice the following slide.

¿Le prestas el dinero a Lupita?Will you lend Lupita the money?

No, no se lo presto. Es mucho dinero.No, I won’t lend it to her. It’s a lot of money.

se lo, se la, se los, se las

Queremos comprarles los juguetes a los niños, ¿no?

We want to buy the toys for the children, right?

Sí, vamos a comprárselos mañana.Yes, we’ll buy them for them tomorrow.

The combinations of object pronouns in Spanish are as follows:

me lo, me lame los, me las

te lo, te late los, te las

se lo, se lase los, se las

nos lo, nos lanos los, nos las

os lo, os laos los, os las

se lo, se lase los, se las

Let’s Practice!

1. The HR department gave me the form.

The HR department gave it to me.

2. The intern doesn’t have the fax machine.

The intern doesn’t have it.

3. We sent the file to the cleaning staff.

We sent it to them.

4. Do you want to buy the folders for the boss?

Do you want to buy them for him?

FIN