Indirect Object Pronouns in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Learn what indirect object pronouns are and how to identify them in sentences
• Master the placement of me, te, le, nos, os, les in different sentence structures
• Understand how to express “to whom” or “for whom” an action is done
• Practice using indirect object pronouns with verbs like dar, decir, enviar
• Learn the rules for using “le” and “les” and when to add clarification

Express “To Whom” Actions Are Directed

Indirect object pronouns tell us to whom or for whom an action is performed. They’re essential for conversations about giving, telling, sending, and showing. Think of them as answering the question “to/for whom?” in any sentence.

What are Indirect Object Pronouns? (¿Qué Son los Pronombres de Objeto Indirecto?)

The indirect object is the person who receives the direct object or benefits from the action.

Example:

• “I give the book to Maria.” → “I give it to her.”
• “Doy el libro a María.” → “Le doy el libro.” or “Se lo doy.”

The Indirect Object Pronouns (Los Pronombres de Objeto Indirecto)

English	Spanish	Example Sentence	Translation
To/For me	me	Me das el libro.	You give me the book.
To/For you (informal)	te	Te compro un regalo.	I buy you a gift.
To/For him/her/you (formal)	le	Le escribo una carta.	I write him/her a letter.
To/For us	nos	Nos envían el paquete.	They send us the package.
To/For you all (Spain)	os	Os preparamos la cena.	We prepare dinner for you all.
To/For them/you all	les	Les muestro la casa.	I show them the house.

💡 Grammar Tip: Unlike direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns do not change for gender. Use “le” for both “to him” and “to her,” and “les” for “to them” (both masculine and feminine).

Common Verbs That Use Indirect Objects

These verbs frequently appear with indirect object pronouns:

Spanish Verb	English	Example
Dar	to give	Le doy el dinero. (I give him the money.)
Decir	to tell	Te digo la verdad. (I tell you the truth.)
Enviar/Mandar	to send	Les envío el email. (I send them the email.)
Mostrar	to show	Nos muestra las fotos. (He shows us the photos.)
Preguntar	to ask	Le pregunto la hora. (I ask him the time.)
Comprar	to buy	Te compro un café. (I buy you a coffee.)
Regalar	to gift	Le regalo flores. (I gift her flowers.)
Prestar	to lend	Nos presta su coche. (He lends us his car.)

Placement Rules (Reglas de Posición)

The placement rules are identical to direct object pronouns:

Before Conjugated Verbs:

• “Le doy el libro.” (I give him the book.)
• “Les escribo.” (I write to them.)

Attached to Infinitives:

• “Voy a darle el libro.” (I’m going to give him the book.)
• “Quiero escribirles.” (I want to write to them.)

Attached to Present Participles (-ndo):

• “Estoy dandole el libro.” (I’m giving him the book.)

Attached to Affirmative Commands:

• “¡Dale el libro!” (Give him the book!)

Before Negative Commands:

• “¡No le des el libro!” (Don’t give him the book!)

Clarifying “Le” and “Les”

Since “le” can mean “to him,” “to her,” or “to you formal,” Spanish often adds “a + pronoun” for clarity:

• “Le doy el libro a él.” (I give the book to him.)
• “Le doy el libro a ella.” (I give the book to her.)
• “Le doy el libro a usted.” (I give the book to you.)
• “Les doy el libro a ellos.” (I give the book to them.)

Putting It All Together: Conversation Examples

Scenario 1: Giving Gifts
Ana: ¿Compraste el regalo para tu madre?
Carlos: Sí, le compré un perfume muy bonito. Le voy a dar el regalo esta noche.
Ana: ¡Qué detalle! Estoy segura de que le va a encantar.

Translation:
Ana: Did you buy the gift for your mother?
Carlos: Yes, I bought her a very nice perfume. I’m going to give her the gift tonight.
Ana: How thoughtful! I’m sure she’s going to love it.

Scenario 2: Office Communication
Jefe: ¿Enviaste el reporte a los clientes?
Empleado: Sí, les envié el reporte por email esta mañana. También les mandé un mensaje para confirmar.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Adding unnecessary “a”: Don’t say “Doy a él el libro” – use the pronoun instead: “Le doy el libro.”
2. Confusing with direct objects: Remember “le” = to him/her, “lo” = him/it.
3. Forgetting the “a” before clarified nouns: “Le doy el libro a María” (correct).
4. Using gender with indirect objects: “Le” works for both genders.
5. Wrong placement with negative commands: “No le des” not “No desle.”

Quick Reference Chart

Pronoun	Use For	Example
Me	to/for me	Me dice. (He tells me.)
Te	to/for you (informal)	Te doy. (I give you.)
Le	to/for him/her/you (formal)	Le enviamos. (We send him/her.)
Nos	to/for us	Nos compran. (They buy for us.)
Os	to/for you all (Spain)	Os presto. (I lend you all.)
Les	to/for them/you all	Les muestro. (I show them.)

Practice Exercise: Add the Indirect Object Pronoun

Add the correct indirect object pronoun to these sentences:

1. Doy el dinero ___ (a mi hermano).
2. Ella escribe una carta ___ (a sus padres).
3. Compramos flores ___ (a ti).
4. Voy a mostrar la casa ___ (a ustedes).

Answers:

1. le doy el dinero a mi hermano.
2. Ella les escribe una carta a sus padres.
3. Te compramos flores.
4. Voy a mostrarles la casa a ustedes.

Ready to Practice?

Think you’ve mastered indirect object pronouns? Test your ability to express “to whom” actions are directed!

Take Our Indirect Object Pronouns Quiz ►

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