Indirect Object Pronouns (los pronombres de objeto indirecto)

Form

English

Subject Pronouns Indirect Object Pronouns
I me
you you
he/she/it him/her/it
we us
you (guys/all) you
they them

Spanish

Subject Pronouns Indirect Object Pronouns*
yo me
tú te
él/ella* le
nosotros/as nos
vosotros/as os
ellos/ellas les

* Note: These look a lot like the direct object pronouns. Note the difference in the 3rd person singular and plural. Indirect object pronouns are not marked for the gender of the noun they replace.

Indirect object pronouns are placed before a conjugated verb and before or after an infinitive.

Ejemplo(s):
--(Ellos) me regalaron un coche.
They gave me a car.
--Me van a regalar un coche.
They are going to give me a car.
--Van a regalarme un coche.
They are going to give me a car.

Uses of Indirect Object Pronouns

  1. Type One:
    Ejemplo(s):
    --El chico le da el reloj a la chica.
    The boy gives the watch to the girl.

    In this sentence, the direct object (el reloj) answers the question “gives what?” and the indirect object answers the question “to whom?”

  2. Type Two:
    Ejemplo(s):
    --Le gusta el helado a la chica.
    The girl likes ice cream.
    --A la chica le gusta el helado.
    The girl likes ice cream.

    All “gustar-like” constructions are actually indirect object constructions. In Spanish, ice cream is the subject of the sentence and must agree with the verb gustar, resulting in a literal translation of “Ice cream is pleasing”. The indirect object answers the question “to whom is the ice cream pleasing?” In this case, the answer is, "to the girl."

Other verbs that function like gustar: