5.11 Pronombres de objeto indirecto y objeto directo usados juntos

Estructuras y normas: A guide to mastering grammar for effective communication.

¡Sí puedo! Can-Do Statements

Recognize and distinguish direct and indirect object pronouns when used together.

Use indirect and direct object pronouns in the correct position in a sentence.

So far you have learned to identify direct and indirect objects in sentences like Play AudioLe compré unos recuerdos para mi papá.” (I bought my father some souvenirs.)

And, you can use indirect and direct object pronouns separately, as in “Te mandé una tarjeta postal. ¿La recibiste?” (I sent you a postcard. Did you receive it?)

When using indirect and direct object pronouns together in the same sentence, the indirect one goes first. The two pronouns must stay beside each other, and the usual object pronoun placement rules apply.

(subject)  +  (no)  +  indirect object pronoun  +  direct object pronoun  +  verb, etc.
  • Play Audio¿Los pasajes de avión? Nos los mandaron por correo electrónico.
             (The plane tickets? They sent them to us by email.)
  • Play Audio¿Tu pasaporte? ¿No te lo devolví?
    (Your passport? Didn’t I return it to you?)
  • Play AudioMamá imprimió mi tarjeta de embarcación y ella va a dármela al entrar en el puesto de seguridad. (Mom printed my boarding pass and she is going to give me it when we go in the security checkpoint.)

Third-person object pronouns used together

An interesting thing happens when two third-person object pronouns are used together (e.g. “give it to them” or “receive them from her”): both the indirect and the direct object pronouns in the third person start with the letter “L”.

For purely phonetic reasons (and not meaning to cause confusion with the reflexive pronoun!), the indirect object pronoun in those situations changes to “se”.

  • Play Audio¿Los pasajes de avión para usted? Le Se los puse en este sobre.
    (The plane tickets for you? I put them in this envelope for you.)
  • Play AudioTu papá sabe todo sobre el vuelo, le se lo dije ayer.
    (Your dad knows everything about the flight, I told (it to) him yesterday.)
  • Play AudioAquí está tu visa para los oficiales de inmigración; necesitas presentárlesla presentársela ahora. (Here’s your visa for the immigration officers; you need to present it to them now.)

Where there’s likely to be confusion about who the “se” is referring to, be sure to use a prepositional phrase for clarification.

  • Play AudioCompré regalos para mi mamá y mi papá; se los di a ella para su cumpleaños y se los di a él para el Día del Padre.  (I bought gifts for my mother and father; I gave them to her for her birthday, and gave them to him for Father’s Day.)

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

¡Todos unidos! Communication in Spanish I Copyright © 2024 by Amelia Moreno and Camille Qualtere is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.