Direct Object Pronouns

Direct objects

• Answer the question…?

• Who?

• What?

I bought the book.

• What did I buy? – The book = direct object

We saw your friends.

• Who did we see?– Friends = direct object

Pronoun

• A direct object pronoun shortens the direct object to avoid repition.

• The book – it

• Your friends - them

Direct object pronouns in Spanish

• Lo – him/you (formal)/it– Los – them/y’all (ustedes)/those things

• La – her/you (formal)/it– Las – them/y’all (ustedes)/those things

Ejemplos

• Yo compré el libro.

• El libro = direct object– What’s the pronoun for el libro?

• El libro = lo– Yo lo compré.

Vimos tus amigos

Who did we see?

• Tus amigos = direct object– What’s the pronoun?

• Tus amigos = los– Los vimos.

Where do they go?

• Put the direct object pronoun directly before the conjugated verb:– ¿Tu hablaste con la profesora?– Sí, la hablé.

Or…

• Attached to an infinitive form (unconjugated) of the verb.– ¿Vais a comprar el champú?– No, no vamos a cómprarlo.

• OR

– No, no lo vamos a comprar.