DELE A2 Guide: Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns

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Key Takeaways

• Identify and use direct and indirect object pronouns correctly
• Master pronoun placement in sentences with clear examples
• Learn the crucial differences between lo, la, le, and se
• Practice with DELE-focused exercises and real exam examples

Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns. This essential grammar topic helps you speak more naturally and avoid repetition. Mastering object pronouns is crucial for the DELE A2 exam, especially in the speaking and writing sections where you need to show grammatical variety.

What Are Object Pronouns?
Object pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition. Spanish has two main types:

• Direct Object Pronouns: Replace the noun that directly receives the action
• Indirect Object Pronouns: Replace the noun that indirectly receives the action

Direct Object Pronouns (DOP)

English	Spanish	Example
me	me	Me ve. (He sees me.)
you (informal)	te	Te quiero. (I love you.)
him/it (masc.)	lo	Lo compro. (I buy it.)
her/it (fem.)	la	La veo. (I see her.)
us	nos	Nos ayuda. (He helps us.)
you all (Spain)	os	Os escucho. (I listen to you all.)
them/you (masc.)	los	Los conozco. (I know them.)
them/you (fem.)	las	Las necesito. (I need them.)

Indirect Object Pronouns (IOP)

English	Spanish	Example
(to/for) me	me	Me da el libro. (He gives me the book.)
(to/for) you	te	Te escribo. (I write to you.)
(to/for) him/her/you	le	Le hablo. (I speak to him/her.)
(to/for) us	nos	Nos explica. (He explains to us.)
(to/for) you all	os	Os muestro. (I show you all.)
(to/for) them/you	les	Les digo. (I tell them.)

Where to Place Object Pronouns
Rule 1: Before conjugated verbs

• “Lo como.” (I eat it.)
• “Te voy a llamar.” (I’m going to call you.)

Rule 2: Attached to infinitives

• “Voy a comprarlo.” (I’m going to buy it.)
• “Quiero verla.” (I want to see her.)

Rule 3: Attached to gerunds (-ando/-iendo)

• “Estoy leyendolo.” (I’m reading it.)
• “Están escuchandonos.” (They are listening to us.)

DELE A2 Examples with Analysis

Before Conjugated Verbs:

• “Lo estudio todos los días.” (I study it every day.)
• “Le doy el regalo.” (I give the gift to him/her.)

With Infinitives:

• “Necesito comprarlo.” (I need to buy it.)
• “Voy a decirle la verdad.” (I’m going to tell him/her the truth.)

With Gerunds:

• “Está explicandonos la lección.” (He’s explaining the lesson to us.)
• “Sigo practicandolo.” (I keep practicing it.)

Common DELE A2 Scenarios
Scenario 1: Answering Questions

• “¿Compras el pan?” → “Sí, lo compro.”
• “¿Das el libro a María?” → “Sí, le doy el libro.”

Scenario 2: Daily Conversations

• “¿Me ayudas?” → “Sí, te ayudo.”
• “¿Nos esperas?” → “Sí, los espero.”

Important: “Le” vs “Lo/La”

• Use le when the action is done TO someone
• Use lo/la when someone RECEIVES the action directly

The Special Case of “Se”
When both pronouns start with “l” (le/les + lo/la/los/las), change the first one to “se”:

• “Le lo doy” → “Se lo doy.” (I give it to him/her.)
• “Les las muestro” → “Se las muestro.” (I show them to them.)

DELE A2 Exam Tips

1. Practice replacing objects in simple sentences
2. Master the “se” transformation for double pronouns
3. In writing tasks, show you can use pronouns to avoid repetition
4. In speaking, use pronouns to sound more natural

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t use subject pronouns as object pronouns
• Remember the “se” rule for double object pronouns
• Don’t forget pronoun placement rules

Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Ready to master object pronouns?

Take our DELE A2 Object Pronouns Quiz here to get prepared for the exam.

What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?

• Ready for more? Study DELE A2 Double Object Pronouns
• Need verb practice? Review DELE A2 Present Tense
• Want related topics? Learn DELE A2 Reflexive Verbs
• Practice all A2 grammar? Return to DELE A2 Grammar Hub

Master object pronouns and you’ll significantly improve your Spanish fluency!