Indirect Object Pronouns
Pronombres de objeto indirecto
Le and les: saying to whom or for whom something is done.
The rule
The indirect object is the person the action is aimed at: the answer to '¿a quién?' or '¿para quién?'. In 'Doy el libro a Juan', 'el libro' is the direct object and 'a Juan' is the indirect one. The pronouns are me, te, le, nos, les. The key difference from the direct object set: 'le' and 'les' do NOT change for gender: 'le doy el regalo' works for both Juan and María; only number matters.
Spanish also doubles up in a way English never does: the pronoun is normally used even when the person is already named. 'Le doy el libro a Juan' is the natural sentence; dropping the 'le' sounds wrong. That redundant 'a + persona' is also how you disambiguate 'le', which on its own could be him, her or usted: 'Le escribo a ella'. Placement follows the same rules as the direct object pronouns: in front of a conjugated verb ('Le escribo'), attached to an infinitive, gerund or affirmative command ('Voy a escribirle', 'Escríbele'), and never attached in a negative command ('No le escribas'). When an indirect and a direct pronoun meet, the indirect goes first and le/les turns into 'se': 'Le doy el libro' + 'lo' → 'Se lo doy', never 'le lo doy'.
Examples
Le doy el libro a Juan.
I give the book to Juan. (the pronoun is used even though Juan is named)
Les escribo una carta a mis padres.
I write my parents a letter. (plural recipient → les)
Le compré un regalo a María.
I bought María a present. (le doesn't change for a female recipient)
Voy a escribirle. / Le voy a escribir.
I'm going to write to him. (both positions are correct)
Se lo doy.
I give it to him. (le + lo → se lo)
Try it yourself
Three quick questions, straight from the app. No sign-up needed.
___ doy el libro a Juan.
I give the book to Juan.
All 22 Indirect Object Pronouns questions, free in Hablaba
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