Direct Objects
• … are the person or thing that receives the action of the verb.
• … answer the questions “What” and “Whom” after an action verb.
• … have direct object pronouns (DOPs) that replace direct objects in a sentence.
• In Spanish, when the direct object is a person or a pet, a personal “A” must be used.
AMV@MVHS
In Spanish there are 8 DOPs:
• ME
• TE
• LO,LA
• NOS
• OS
• LOS,LAS
Note how third person agrees in gender with the object they represent.
To form a sentence using a DOP…1) Ask yourself “who” or “what” the verb
affects. That is the DIRECT OBJECT.
2) Change the direct object to a direct object pronoun (DOP).
3) Rewrite the sentence using the DOP instead of the direct object.
Once you figure out the correct direct object
pronoun, you need to be able to rewrite the sentence putting the DOP in the
correct location. There are four rules in regards to
placement of DOPs in the sentence.
Place directly the CONJUGATED VERB.
_____ tengo ahora.LA
Object
Pronoun
Conjugated
Verb
Tengo ahora.mi tareaLA
BEFORE
to an INFINITIVE.
Queremos levantar____ temprano.LOS
Object
Pronoun
Infinitive
“Levantarlos” is ONE WORD.
Queremos levantar temprano.a ellosLOS
ATTACH
since there is also a CONJUGATED VERB in the sentence, the direct object pronoun can still
go BEFORE the conjugated verb.
Queremos levantar_____ temprano.LOS
Object
Pronoun
Infinitive_____ queremos levantar temprano.
BUT…
LOS
Conjugated
Verb
Object
Pronoun
to a PARTICIPLE (-ANDO/-IENDO).
Susi y Mari están ___ ahora.LO
Object PronounParticiple
HOWEVER…
THEREFORE…
When you attach to the end of the participle, you add a syllable to the word, which messes with the natural stress.
The participle will need a written accent over the “A” in –ANDO or the “E” in –IENDO.
escribiendoescribiéndo Susi y Mari están escribiendo ahora.el cheque
LO
ATTACH
since there is also a CONJUGATED VERB in the sentence, the direct object pronoun can still
go BEFORE the conjugated verb.
LO
Object
Pronoun
Participle
Susi y Mari ___ están escribiendo ahora.
BUT…
LO
Conjugated
Verb
Object
Pronoun
Susi y Mari están escribiéndo___ ahora.
an affirmative command.
Lava____ ahora.LOS
Object
Pronoun
Command
Lava ahora.los platosLOS
ATTACH
HOWEVER…
THEREFORE…
When the command is more than one syllable AND you attach to the end of the participle, you add a syllable to the word, which messes with the natural stress.
Count back 3 vowels from the end (including the direct object pronoun) and you will be over the right letter MOST OF THE TIME.
Lava__LOSLáva__
EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE: ESTUDIAR AND LIMPIAR.
The command will need a written accent.
ALWAYS place directly a NEGATIVE COMMAND.
No _____ compres.LA
Object
Pronoun
Negative
Command
No compres .esa blusaLA
BEFORE
Indirect Objects are another object but are completely
different than directs.
Indirect Objects
• … indicate who benefits from the action performed.
• … answer the questions “To whom” and “For whom” after an action verb.
• … have indirect object pronouns (IOPs) that replace indirect objects in a sentence.
In Spanish there are 6 IOPs
• ME
• TE
• LE
• NOS
• OS
• LES
With third person “LE” and “LES”, using an “A” phrase is helpful.
To form a sentence using a IOP…
1) Ask yourself “to whom” or “for whom” the action is performed. That is the INDIRECT OBJECT.
2) Change the indirect object to a indirect object pronoun (IOP).
3) Rewrite the sentence using the IOP instead of the indirect object.
The placement rules are the same.
1. Place BEFORE a conjugated verb.
2. ATTACH to the end of an infinitive.
3. ATTACH to the end of a present participle (and add an accent).
4. Always ATTACH to an affirmative command.
5. Always place BEFORE a negative command.
When you use a DOP and an IOP in the same sentence, you need to
remember TWO things:
1. The IOP goes before the DOP.
2. You can’t have two “L” object pronouns together.
1) IOP before DOP
I give the book to you.
What is the DO? What is the IO?
el libro a ti.Doy Change the objects to object pronouns.
LO TE
Rewrite the sentence. doy.LOTE
IOP DOP
Ella me las compra.
She buys them for me.
Tú nos los lees.
You read them to us.
1) IOP before DOP
2) No double “L” – change IOP to “SE”
I give the book to Lola.
What is the DO? What is the IO?
el libro a Lola.Doy Change the objects to object pronouns.
LO LE
Rewrite the sentence.
doy.LOLE
IOP DOP
NO DOUBLE
“L”
SESE IS
OK!
Uds. compra las blusa para ellos.
Uds. se las compra.
Nosotros leemos los poemas a ella.
Nosotros se los leemos.
2) No double “L” – change IOP to “se”LAS
LELOS
LESSE
SE
When you attach double object pronouns to an INFINITIVE, a PARTICIPLE or a COMMAND,
you must add an accent to bring the word back to how it was
originally pronounced.
No puedo dartelas. dártelas.
Puedes prestarselos. prestárselos.
Estoy comprándoselo.comprandoselo.
¡Cantamos!To the tune of “Do your ears hang low?”
Oh, you can’t LE LO
Because it’s bad grammar, you know
You can use the other pairs
Except for two “Ls” in a row
There’s a way to save the day
LE and LES get changed to SE
Because you can SE LO