Pronouns: Direct and Indirect Object
Pronouns in Spanish
Pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition and show grammatical sophistication. Using them correctly is a clear marker of higher-grade work.
Subject Pronouns
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yo | I |
| tú | you (informal) |
| él / ella / usted (Ud.) | he / she / you (formal) |
| nosotros/as | we |
| vosotros/as | you (informal plural) |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes (Uds.) | they / you (formal plural) |
Key point: Subject pronouns are often omitted in Spanish because the verb ending identifies the subject. Include them for emphasis or clarity:
- Yo quiero ir pero ella no quiere. — I want to go but she doesn't want to.
Direct Object Pronouns
Replace the thing or person directly affected by the verb:
| Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|---|
| me | me |
| te | you |
| lo | him / it (m) / you (formal m) |
| la | her / it (f) / you (formal f) |
| nos | us |
| os | you (plural informal) |
| los | them (m) / you (formal m pl) |
| las | them (f) / you (formal f pl) |
They go before the conjugated verb:
- Lo como todos los días. — I eat it every day.
- La veo en el colegio. — I see her at school.
- Los compré ayer. — I bought them yesterday.
Indirect Object Pronouns
Replace the person something is done to or for:
| Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|---|
| me | to/for me |
| te | to/for you |
| le | to/for him/her/you (formal) |
| nos | to/for us |
| os | to/for you (pl) |
| les | to/for them/you (formal pl) |
- Le doy un regalo. — I give him/her a present.
- Les escribo una carta. — I write them a letter.
- Me gusta el chocolate. — I like chocolate (lit: chocolate is pleasing to me).
Position of Pronouns
Before a conjugated verb:
- Lo quiero. — I want it.
Attached to an infinitive or gerund:
- Quiero comerlo. — I want to eat it.
- Estoy haciéndolo. — I am doing it.
Attached to affirmative commands:
- ¡Dime! — Tell me! ¡Cómpralo! — Buy it!
The Pronoun se
Used for:
- Reflexive actions: Se levanta a las siete. — He/She gets up at seven.
- Impersonal/passive: Se habla español aquí. — Spanish is spoken here.
- When le/les comes before lo/la/los/las, le/les → se: Se lo doy. — I give it to him/her.
Relative Pronouns
| Pronoun | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| que | who/which/that | El chico que habla es mi amigo. — The boy who speaks is my friend. |
| donde | where | La ciudad donde vivo es grande. — The city where I live is big. |
| lo que | what (the thing that) | Lo que me gusta es viajar. — What I like is travelling. |
| quien(es) | who (after preposition) | La persona con quien hablo. — The person with whom I speak. |
Demonstrative Pronouns
| Masculine | Feminine | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | este/esto | esta | this one |
| That | ese | esa | that one |
| That (far) | aquel | aquella | that one (over there) |
Exam Tips
- Gustar and similar verbs (encantar, molestar, interesar) use indirect object pronouns: me gusta, te gusta, le gusta, nos gusta.
- Using lo que is a strong Grade 7+ marker: Lo que más me gusta es... (What I like most is...).
- In writing, replace repeated nouns with pronouns to avoid repetition.
- In speaking, practise answering with pronouns: Q: "¿Te gusta el fútbol?" A: "Sí, me encanta" (not repeating "el fútbol").