A2 · Pronouns · Part 2 of 3
El objeto indirecto
The indirect object is the person the action reaches: who you give something to, tell something to, buy something for. Spanish marks it with its own set of pronouns and, unlike English, keeps the pronoun even when the person is named.
How to find it
Ask to whom or for whom. Di el libro a mi hermano: to whom? A mi hermano. That is the indirect object, so it becomes le.
| Person | Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me | me dio el libro |
| tú | te | te escribí |
| él / ella / usted | le | le compré un regalo |
| nosotros | nos | nos contó todo |
| ellos / ustedes | les | les dije la verdad |
The pronoun stays even when you name the person
A Marta le di el libro is not redundant, it is normal. Leaving out le sounds wrong, and this doubling is one of the clearest signs of natural Spanish.
- A Marta le di el libro.I gave Marta the book.
- A mis padres les gusta viajar.My parents like travelling.
- ¿A ti te dijeron algo?Did they tell you anything?
Le is ambiguous, and the a phrase fixes it
Le can mean to him, to her or to you. When it is not obvious, Spanish adds the person.
- Le escribí.I wrote to him, to her, or to you.
- Le escribí a mi jefe.I wrote to my boss. · now it is clear
The verbs that live on it
Giving, telling, asking, sending, buying, explaining — anything that reaches a person. And the whole gustar family.
- dar, decir, contar, explicar, preguntar, pedir
- mandar, escribir, traer, comprar, regalar, prestar
- gustar, encantar, interesar, doler, faltar, quedar
For someone, not to someone
Spanish uses the same pronoun for the person something is done for, where English changes preposition.
- Le compré un regalo.I bought a present for her.
- Te hice un café.I made you a coffee.
Mistakes to avoid
Di el libro a Marta.
Le di el libro a Marta.
Spanish keeps the pronoun even when the person is named.
Lo dije la verdad.
Le dije la verdad.
The truth is what I said; the person is who I said it to.
A mis padres le gusta viajar.
A mis padres les gusta viajar.
Plural person, plural pronoun.
Try it
___ di el libro a mi hermano.
A mis padres ___ gusta el ceviche.
¿Qué ___ dijiste a Marta?
___ compré un regalo para tu cumpleaños.
El taxi ___ costó veinte soles.