A direct object is an object that directly receives the
action of the verb:
Direct objects can be replaced by the following direct object pronouns, which agree in number and gender with the noun they replace:
* In Spain the third person direct object pronouns, when they refer to persons, are typically le (sing.) and les (pl.).
Some examples of the direct object pronoun in use:
The reflexive pronouns
(me, te, se, nos, os, se) often function as direct objects
as well. For a fuller explanation, see below, but for the moment,
notice how these pronouns also can directly receive the action of
the verb.
Different from English, direct object pronouns in Spanish usually precede the verb. There are, however, a number of important exceptions to this rule of thumb where the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb. (See placement of pronouns.)
An indirect object, as its name implies, indirectly receives the action of the verb and is also an object of the preposition to or for.
Indirect objects can be replaced by the following indirect object pronouns, which agree in number with the noun they replace. They are different from the direct object pronouns only in the third person singular and plural forms:
Some examples of the indirect object pronoun in use:
A verb used reflexively /
reciprocally can also have an indirect object
pronoun:
As with direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns in Spanish usually precede the verb. There are, however, a number of important exceptions to this rule of thumb where the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb. (See placement of pronouns.)
Reflexive pronouns are used with reciprocal and reflexive verbs, and with certain pronominal verbs. The forms are:
They agree in person with the subject of the verb and may be either direct or indirect objects, depending on the verbs with which they are used. In in value one normally associates with the reflexive. The following sentences are examples of these three uses:
Reciprocal:Ellos se besaron. [They kissed (each other.)]Reflexive:
Me levanté y me lavé. [I got (myself) up and washed (myself)].Pronominal:
¿Te atreves a desafiarme? (Do you dare to defy me?)
As with direct and indirect object pronouns, reflexive pronouns in Spanish usually precede the verb. There are, however, a number of important exceptions to this rule of thumb where the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb. (See placement of pronouns.)
Apart from the first and second persons singular, these objects have the same form as subject pronouns.
Examples:
See Reflexive objects of the preposition and Prepositions.
Reflexive objects of the preposition follow the preposition and in the case of con combine with mí, ti and sí to form conmigo, contigo and consigo, respectively.
Pre-position of direct object pronoun (with most
verbs).
Post-position of direct object pronoun (with
affirmative commands, infinitives,* and present participles,
or gerunds).
Notice how in most of the preceding cases of post-position placement an accent mark must be added to preserve the original
Frequently one may find two object pronouns associated with a single verb. The rules for placement of multiple object pronouns are:
A. Multiple object pronouns occur as indirect object and direct
object pairs. The indirect object pronoun always precedes the
direct object pronoun, and the reflexive pronoun always precedes
them all. When following a verb the two pronouns are joined and
attached to the verb.
B. The placement of multiple object
pronouns is the same as the placement of individual object
pronouns.
C. When both object pronouns occur in juxtaposition and begin
with the letter "L," the first one becomes se.
D. When one object pronoun is attached to the end of an affirmative command, an infinitive, or a present participle, a written accent mark is often added to the stressed syllable in order to preserve that stress, e.g. acuérdate (ponte). When two object pronouns are attached to a verb, a written accent mark must always be added to the póntelo.
Direct object
pronouns
Indirect object pronouns
Reflexive verbs
Personal pronoun chart