Both direct and indirect object pronouns are the same except for the third person singular and plural forms.
Direct object pronouns	Indirect object pronouns

me	me	nos	us	me	from/to me	nos	us
te	you	os	you all	te	from/to you	os	from/to you all
lo	him, it	los	them	le	from/to him, her	les	from/to them
la	her, it	las	them		you		you

Direct object pronouns are used in place of nouns that directly receive the action of the verb. In Spanish, direct object pronouns usually precede the conjugated verb.
Compró el libro.	Lo compró.	Llamaron a (nosotros).	Nos llamaron.
Llamé a la profesora.	La llamé.	Vendí los libros.	Los vendí.
Indirect object pronouns always refer to people and are used when the action of the verb is directed to or from the person or persons. Since the indirect object pronoun le can refer to him, her, or you, Spanish often clarifies such a sentence by the addition of a + the appropriate prepositional form.
Carlos le habla.		Carlos speaks to him, her, you.
Carlos le habla a él.		Carlos speaks to him.
This repetitive construction is also used for emphasis, especially where no clarification is necessary.
A mí me gustan las corridas.		I like bullfights.
It is regularly used where the noun indirect object precedes the verb.
A muchos mexicanos no les gustan las corridas.		Bullfights are not pleasing to many Mexicans.
Both direct and indirect object pronouns usually precede the conjugated form of the verb. Negatives, in turn, precede object pronouns. If there is a subject or a subject pronoun, it precedes the negative.
Yo no le he escrito.		I have not written to him, her, you.
In commands, object pronouns are attached to affirmative commands. Object pronouns precede negative commands.
Pongalo ahí.		Put it there.
No lo ponga ahí.		Don't put it there.
With infinitives and present participles object pronouns may be attached to the infinitive or present participle, instead of preceding them. When attached to the present participle, there is a written accent over the stressed syllable of the present participle.
Le tengo que escribir.		I have to write him, her, you.
Tengo que escribirle.
Lo estaremos comiendo toda la semana.		We will be eating it all week.
Estaremos comiéndolo toda la semana.

 

Submit questions and comments to:

Jaime El Sabio