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