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Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns Overview
Spanish indirect object pronouns show to whom or for whom an action is done. They replace indirect objects to avoid repetition and make speech more natural.
Key Function: Show the recipient or beneficiary of an action
Position: Usually go before the conjugated verb (same as direct object pronouns)
Test: Ask "to whom?" or "for whom?" after the verb
Important: Indirect object pronouns do NOT change for gender (unlike direct object pronouns).
Examples
Doy el libro a María → Le doy el libro.
I give the book to María → I give the book to her.
Escribo una carta a mis padres → Les escribo una carta.
I write a letter to my parents → I write a letter to them.
Compro flores para ti → Te compro flores.
I buy flowers for you → I buy flowers for you.
Complete List of Indirect Object Pronouns
Here are all Spanish indirect object pronouns:
Indirect Object Pronouns Chart
Notice that indirect object pronouns do NOT change for gender:
Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| me | to/for me | Me das el libro (You give the book to me) |
| te | to/for you (informal) | Te hablo (I speak to you) |
| le | to/for him/her/you (formal) | Le escribo (I write to him/her) |
| nos | to/for us | Nos explican (They explain to us) |
| os | to/for you all (informal, Spain) | Os digo (I tell you all) |
| les | to/for them/you all | Les compro (I buy for them) |
Mi madre me cocina.
My mother cooks for me.
Te voy a explicar.
I'm going to explain to you.
Le damos dinero.
We give money to him/her.
Les mandamos cartas.
We send letters to them.
No Gender Agreement
Unlike direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns do NOT change for gender:
Le and Les for All Genders
Le = to/for him, her, you (formal) - same form for all
Les = to/for them, you all - same form for all
This is different from direct object pronouns (lo/la, los/las).
Le hablo a Juan. (masculine)
I speak to Juan.
Le hablo a María. (feminine)
I speak to María.
Les escribo a mis hermanos. (masculine)
I write to my brothers.
Les escribo a mis hermanas. (feminine)
I write to my sisters.
Common Verbs with Indirect Objects
Many Spanish verbs commonly take indirect objects:
Giving and Receiving Verbs
These verbs often involve giving or receiving something:
dar (to give) → Le doy dinero.
to give → I give money to him/her.
regalar (to give as gift) → Te regalo flores.
to give as gift → I give you flowers.
prestar (to lend) → Nos prestan el coche.
to lend → They lend us the car.
devolver (to return) → Les devuelvo el libro.
to return → I return the book to them.
Communication Verbs
Verbs involving communication often use indirect objects:
decir (to say/tell) → Me dice la verdad.
to say/tell → He/she tells me the truth.
hablar (to speak) → Te hablo en español.
to speak → I speak to you in Spanish.
escribir (to write) → Le escribo una carta.
to write → I write a letter to him/her.
explicar (to explain) → Nos explican la lección.
to explain → They explain the lesson to us.
Verbs Like "Gustar"
Some verbs work backwards - the thing liked is the subject, the person is the indirect object:
gustar (to like) → Me gusta el café.
to like → I like coffee. (Coffee is pleasing to me)
encantar (to love) → Te encanta la música.
to love → You love music. (Music is enchanting to you)
interesar (to interest) → Le interesan los libros.
to interest → Books interest him/her.
doler (to hurt) → Nos duele la cabeza.
to hurt → Our head hurts. (The head hurts to us)
Clarifying Le and Les
Since le and les can refer to multiple people, Spanish often adds clarification:
Adding Clarification
Use a + pronoun or a + noun to clarify who le/les refers to:
Le can mean: to him, to her, to you (formal)
Les can mean: to them, to you all
Add clarification when context isn't clear.
Le hablo a él.
I speak to him. (clarifies le = to him)
Le hablo a ella.
I speak to her. (clarifies le = to her)
Le hablo a usted.
I speak to you. (clarifies le = to you formal)
Les escribo a mis padres.
I write to my parents. (clarifies les = to parents)
Redundant Pronouns
In Spanish, it's common to use both the pronoun AND the clarifying phrase:
This is called redundant pronoun use and is grammatically correct in Spanish.
A María le gusta el chocolate.
María likes chocolate. (redundant: a María + le)
A mis hermanos les compro regalos.
I buy gifts for my brothers. (redundant: a mis hermanos + les)
A ti te digo la verdad.
I tell you the truth. (redundant: a ti + te)
Pronoun Placement with Indirect Objects
Indirect object pronouns follow the same placement rules as direct object pronouns:
Standard Placement Rules
Before conjugated verbs: Most common position
Attached to infinitives: Optional with verb + infinitive
Attached to present participles: With -ando/-iendo forms
Attached to affirmative commands: ¡Dime! (Tell me!)
Te voy a dar el libro. = Voy a darte el libro.
I'm going to give you the book. (both correct)
Estoy diciéndole la verdad.
I am telling him/her the truth. (with accent)
¡Dime! vs. ¡No me digas!
Tell me! vs. Don't tell me!
Double Object Pronouns
When using both direct and indirect object pronouns together:
Order: Indirect + Direct (me lo, te la, se los, etc.)
Le/Les + Lo/La/Los/Las: Changes to se
Position: Both pronouns stay together
Examples
Me lo das. (You give it to me)
indirect (me) + direct (lo) = me lo
Te la explico. (I explain it to you)
indirect (te) + direct (la) = te la
Se lo digo. (I tell it to him/her)
le + lo = se lo (le changes to se)
Se las compro. (I buy them for him/her)
les + las = se las (les changes to se)
Common Indirect Object Pronoun Mistakes
Here are common mistakes Spanish learners make with indirect object pronouns:
Mistake 1: Confusing direct and indirect objects
Mistake 2: Trying to make le/les agree with gender
Mistake 3: Forgetting clarification with le/les
Mistake 4: Wrong order with double pronouns
Learning to avoid these mistakes will make your Spanish sound natural.
Examples
❌ Lo doy el libro (should be indirect) → ✅ Le doy el libro
Wrong: I him give the book → Right: I give the book to him
❌ La hablo a María (trying gender agreement) → ✅ Le hablo a María
Wrong: I her speak to María → Right: I speak to María
❌ Le hablo (unclear who) → ✅ Le hablo a él/ella
Unclear: I speak to him/her → Clear: I speak to him/her
❌ Lo me das → ✅ Me lo das
Wrong: It me you give → Right: You give it to me