Direct Object Pronouns p. 194
The direct object (DO) is the person or thing in the sentence which directly receives the action.
This concept is not exactly the same in English and Spanish. For example, sometimes when you use a DO in English it will be the object of a preposition in Spanish (especially in regards to pronouns as Spanish has both DO and obj of prep pronouns).
Personal a In Spanish, you need to add an a before and DO who is a person. EXCEPT when the verbs tener or haber (hay) are used. –Veo el reproductor de DVDs. –Veo a la profesora y a la Sandra. –Tomás tiene dos hermanas en San José. –Hay 20 estudiantes en la clase.
DO pronouns DO pronouns replace DO nouns. menos teos lo/lalos/las
come before a conjugated verb, or attach to an infinitive No precedes pronoun –no is never placed between pronoun and conjugated verb Lo, la, los, and las can refer to people and things.
ExamplesExamples
Veo el reproductor de DVDs. –Lo veo. No veo el reproductor de DVDs. –No lo veo. Veo a la profesora y a la Sandra. –Las veo. No veo a la profesora y a la Sandra. –No las veo. Voy a comprar la blusa. –La voy a comprar. OR Voy a comprarla.
John sees me. –Juan me ve. John sees you. –Juan te ve.
Do you see John? Yes, I see him. –¿Ves a Juan? Sí, lo veo. Do you see Mary? Yes, I see her. –¿Ves a María? Sí, la veo. Do you see the book? Yes, I see it. –¿Ves el libro? Sí, lo veo. Do you see the table? Yes, I see it. –¿Ves la mesa? Sí, la veo.
I see us. –Nos veo. I see you all (informal, Spain). –Os veo. Do you see the cars? Yes, I see them. –¿Ves los coches? Sí, los veo. Do you see the girls? Yes, I see them. –¿Ves a las chicas? Sí, las veo.