pronouns (DO)

Direct Object Pronouns in Spanish (Spain)

Direct object pronouns are words used to replace a noun that receives the action of the verb. They answer the questions "What?" or "Whom?" regarding the verb. We use them to avoid repeating the noun.

1. The Forms

Here are the pronouns used in Spain:

• me (me)
• te (you, singular informal)
• lo / la (him, her, it, you formal)
• nos (us)
• os (you all, plural informal — used specifically in Spain)
• los / las (them, you all formal)

Note on usage in Spain (Leísmo): While lo is standard for masculine singular objects, in many parts of Spain, it is acceptable and common to use le when referring to a male person.

• Standard: No lo veo. (I don't see him.)
• Spain variant: No le veo. (I don't see him.)

2. Placement Rules

Unlike English, where the pronoun follows the verb (e.g., "I see it"), in Spanish the position changes based on the sentence structure.

A. With Conjugated Verbs

In standard statements (affirmative or negative) and questions, the pronoun goes immediately before the conjugated verb.

• Affirmative: Tina lo prepara. (Tina prepares it.)
• Negative: No los compramos. (We don't buy them.)
• Question: ¿La conoces? (Do you know her?)

B. With Infinitives and Gerunds

When you have an infinitive (verb ending in -ar, -er, -ir) or a gerund (verb ending in -ando, -iendo), you have two options. Both options have the exact same meaning.

Option 1: Place it before the conjugated verb.

• No lo queremos comprar. (We don't want to buy it.)
• Lo estoy leyendo. (I am reading it.)

Option 2: Attach it to the end of the infinitive or gerund.

• No queremos comprarlo. (We don't want to buy it.)
• Estoy leyéndolo. (I am reading it.)

Note: When attaching to a gerund, you must add an accent mark to keep the stress in the original place.

C. With Commands (Imperative)

The position depends on whether the command is affirmative (Do it!) or negative (Don't do it!).

Affirmative Commands: The pronoun attaches to the end of the verb. An accent mark is often required.

• ¡Llámala! (Call her!)
• ¡Cómelo! (Eat it!)

Negative Commands: The pronoun goes before the verb.

• ¡No las subas! (Don't bring them up!)
• ¡No me mires! (Don't look at me!)