Le doy el libro.
English: I give him/her the book.
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Pronombres
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Indirect object pronouns in Spanish are small words (me, te, le, nos, os, les) that show to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done.
When to use it
Use these pronouns when you want to say to whom or for whom something is given, told, sent, or done. They are often used with verbs like 'dar' (to give), 'decir' (to say/tell), 'enviar' (to send), and 'mostrar' (to show).
Key forms
- me (to/for me)
- te (to/for you, informal)
- le (to/for him, her, you formal)
- nos (to/for us)
- os (to/for you all, informal in Spain)
- les (to/for them, you all formal)
Examples
Nos escriben una carta.
English: They write us a letter.
Te cuento una historia.
English: I tell you a story.
Les enviamos flores.
English: We send them flowers.
Me muestran la casa.
English: They show me the house.
Tips
- The indirect object pronoun usually goes before the conjugated verb.
- With infinitives or gerunds, it can go before the main verb or attached to the end: 'Voy a darte el libro.'
- Do not confuse 'le' and 'les' with 'lo' and 'los' (which are direct object pronouns).
Exceptions and edge cases
- When both the indirect and direct object pronouns begin with 'l' (like 'le lo'), change 'le/les' to 'se': 'Se lo doy.'