Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns – Learn How to Use Them

Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns (“Pronombres de Complemento Indirecto”) are a collection of pronouns which point to the person or thing that indirectly receives the action of the verb. In other words, to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done.

In this post we will learn all about Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns, going through the following points:

1. Indirect Object Pronouns: All Forms

Here is the full list of Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns and their meaning in English:

As you can see, gender is irrelevant in all Indirect Object Pronouns, even in the third persons.

2. Use of Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect Object Pronouns point to the thing or person to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done.

Look at the Indirect Object Pronouns in the following examples. They all refer to the person or thing to whom or for whom the action is done:

¿Me has mandado la carta?
Have you sent me the letter?

Sí, te he mandado la carta.
Yes, I have sent you the letter.

Le doy un beso.
I give him/her a kiss.

Nuestra madre nos cuenta un cuento.
Our mother tells us a story.

¿Qué os han dicho?.
What have they told you guys?

Les llevo bebidas.
I bring drinks to them.

Let’s analyze the last sentence of the examples above: “I bring drinks to them”. In that sentence, what I am bringing is drinks. But to whom or for whom? To them. Therefore, the right Indirect Object Pronoun to use is “les”.

3. Forms “le” and “les”, included even when we mention the person

Something very interesting occurs with forms “le” and “les”:

Even when we mention explicitly a 3rd person to whom or for whom the action is made, we can still include the pronoun “le” or “les” in the sentence at the same time. Not only we can, but it sounds better that way.

For example, take these two sentences in English:

• I tell her a story.
• I tell Maria a story.

In English, either we mention the person directly (“María”) or we replace “María” with the pronoun “her”.

But in Spanish, for the 3rd persons, it sounds better to include “le” or “les” in the sentence even if we also mention the person directly:

Le cuento una historia.
I tell her a story.

Le cuento una historia a María.
I tell María a story.

One more example of this phenomenon:

Les compramos una pelota.
We buy them a ball.

Les compramos una pelota a los niños.
We buy the children a ball.

4. Verbs that often use Indirect Object Pronouns

Here are some verbs which tend to use Indirect Object Pronouns, because they refer to actions that are done to someone or for someone:

Also, Indirect Object Pronouns are used in sentences with verbs like “Gustar”. Click here to check out our post about “Gustar”.

5. Placement of Indirect Object Pronouns

In order to place Indirect Object Pronouns in a sentence, we need to consider the tense of the verb they are connected to.

Depending of the verb tense, these pronouns can occupy 2 different places:

1. Right before the verb, written separately
2. Attached at the end of the verb

1 – Right before the Verb, written separately

This is the most frequent case. It happens when the verb is conjugated for any tense with the exception of Infinitive, Gerundio and Affirmative Commands.

Examples:

Ana  le manda una carta.
Ana sends him/her a letter (present tense)

¿ Te han dicho algo?
Have they told you anything?

No  me pidas más cosas.
Don’t ask me for any more things (negative command)

2 – Attached at the end of the Verb

We attach these pronouns at the end of the Verb when it is in Infinitive or Gerundio, or an Affirmative Command.

Examples:

Es importante explicarles el tema.
It is important to explain the topic to them (infinitive)

Mis amigos están organizándome una fiesta.
My friends are organizing a party for me (gerundio)

Cuéntanos la historia.
Tell us the story! (affirmative command)

6. Using Indirect and Direct Object Pronouns together

There are sentences where both an Indirect and a Direct Object Pronoun appear. If that happens, they need to be placed exactly in that order: First the Indirect, then the Direct.

Apart from that, the rules we have explained in this lesson still apply: The 2 pronouns are placed either before the verb or attached at the end depending on the tense, as already learned.

Examples:

Te lo diré mañana.
I will tell it to you tomorrow. (future tense)

Dámela
Give it to me (affirmative command)

Special case: “se” replacing “le” or “les”

If we have a sentence where there are both an indirect and a direct object pronoun working together, and the indirect pronoun would be “le” or “les”… then the pronoun “se” replaces “le” or “les”.

This makes sense aesthetically, because combinations such as “le lo” would sound rather ugly. “Se lo” sounds much better.

Examples:

Se las he mandado.
I have sent them to him/her/them (instead of “le las he mandado”)

Juan quiere decírselo.
Juan wants to say it to him/her/them. (instead of “Juan quiere decírlelo“)

7. Practice: A Quiz

Take this short Quiz to test your knowledge!:

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8. Practice: An Exercise

Fill the gaps in your mind or on a piece of paper using Indirect Object Pronouns. Then check the solutions at the end of this post.

– ¿Me has mandado la carta?
– Sí, _____ (1) he mandado la carta.

– ¿Ana os enseña su casa?
– Sí, ella _____ (2) enseña su casa.

Luis _____ (3) compra un regalo a Laura.

Luis _____ (4) compra un regalo a sus padres.

Solutions to the Exercise: 1 = te, 2 = nos, 3 = le (or blank), 4 = les (or blank)