Direct Object Pronouns

The object that directly receives the action of the verb is called the direct object. Bill hits the ball. "Ball" receives the action of the verb "hit.“ Sherry reads the book. "Book" receives the action of the verb "reads."

The direct object can also be a person. Sherry kissed Bill.

The direct object answers the question "what. " or "whom The direct object answers the question "what?" or "whom?" with regard to what the subject of the sentence is doing. Bill hit the ball. Bill hit what? Bill hit the ball. Sherry kissed Bill. Sherry kissed whom? Sherry kissed Bill.

Often, it is desirable to replace the name of the direct object with a pronoun. Example 1 Paul bought the flowers. He took the flowers home and gave the flowers to his wife. Example 2 Paul bought the flowers. He took them home and gave them to his wife.

When the pronoun replaces the name of the direct object, use the following pronouns: me (me) te (you-familiar) lo, la, le (him, her, it, you-formal) nos (us) los, las (them, you-all-formal)

In an affirmative statement with one verb, the direct object pronoun comes immediately before the conjugated verb. Tengo = I have Tengo la pluma. = I have the pen. La tengo. = I have it. The pronoun (la) comes immediately before the verb (tengo).

Notice that if the subject of the sentence changes, this does not affect the direct object pronoun. Juan la tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene la pluma. = John has the pen. Juan la tiene. = John has it. and María la tiene. María tiene = Mary has María tiene la pluma. = Mary has the pen. María la tiene. = Mary has it.

However, if the direct object of the sentence changes to a masculine noun, the masculine pronoun must be used. Juan lo tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene el libro. = John has the book. Juan lo tiene. = John has it. but Juan la tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene la pluma. = John has the pen. Juan la tiene. = John has it.

Likewise, if the direct object of the sentence changes from singular to plural, the plural pronoun must be used. Juan lo tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene el libro. = John has the book. Juan lo tiene. = John has it. but María los tiene. María tiene = Mary has María tiene los libros. = Mary has the books. María los tiene. = Mary has them.

Look at how Spanish and English are different. "Lo tengo" and "La tengo" BOTH mean "I have it." Differences: "It" has two forms in Spanish: lo, la "Tengo" one word in Spanish = two words in English (I have) The word order is different. In Spanish, the pronoun (lo, la) comes before the verb; in English, the pronoun (it) comes after the verb.

Sometimes, when you try to translate literally, you run into problems: I eat it. (the soup - la sopa) I = Yo I eat = Yo como I eat it. = Yo como la. This is completely incorrect! It should be: La como.

As you can see, directly translating sentences with direct object pronouns doesn't work, so ... don't do it! There is a better, easier way. Learn to translate groups of words, rather than individual words. The first step is to learn to view two Spanish words as a single phrase. Try to think of each line as a single phrase, not two separate words: la como - I eat it (feminine DO - la sopa, la comida, etc.) lo como - I eat it (masculine DO - el pollo, el arroz, etc.) la leo  lo leo la veo lo veo la tengo lo tengo la compro lo compro

Juan eats it. (la comida) Juan la come. María has it Juan eats it. (la comida) Juan la come. María has it. (el libro) María lo tiene. The boy buys it. (la pluma) El chico la compra. The girl sees it. (el edificio) La chica lo ve. You-all read it. (el periódico) Ustedes lo leen.

Now, some examples of plural direct objects. Juan come dos sándwiches. Los come. or Juan los come. María tiene tres libros. Los tiene. or María los tiene. El chico compra dos revistas. Las compra. or El chico las compra. La chica ve dos coches. Los ve. or La chica los ve. Ella compra dos televisores. Los compra. or Ella los compra. Tenemos dos mesas. Las tenemos. or Nosotros las tenemos.

Now, some examples where the direct object is a person. I know you. Te conozco. She loves him. Ella lo quiere. She loves me. Ella me quiere. Juan sees her Juan la ve. They call us. Ellos nos llaman. We call them. Los llamamos.

11. You-all understand the lesson. (comprender) La ______________. 12. She watches television. (mirar) _______________. 13. He makes you cry. ________________. 14. I love her. ___________. 15. She believes it. (creer) Lo ____________ 16. ¿Dónde compra Pablo los libros? _______________ en la tienda. 17. ¿Conoces la capital de España? Sí______________ 18. ¿Miras las telenovelas? Sí ____________. 19. ¿Dónde estudia Bill el español?  _______________ Guatemala. 20. ¿Comprenden ustedes esta lección? Sí ________________. 1. They want the book. _____ quieren. 2. I know them. (Juan and Maria)           ______ conozco. 3. Juan knows me.  ________________. 4. You love me.  ______ amas. 5. They drink it (milk). ______ beben. 6. He buys the magazines (revistas).          ________________. 7. They see Maria.  ______ ven. 8. I have the pen.        ______ tengo. 9. You guys want the house.           _____________. 10. I love (amar) you. ______________.

1. They want the book. LO quieren. 2. I know them 1. They want the book. LO quieren. 2. I know them. (Juan and Maria) LOS conozco. 3. Juan knows me. ME conoce. 4. You love me. ME amas. 5. You-all (formal) drink milk. LA beben. 6. He buys the magazines (revistas). LAS compra. 7. They see Maria. LA ven. 8. I have the pen. (la pluma) LA tengo. 9. You-all (formal) want the house. LA quieren. 10. I love you. TE amo.

11. You-all understand the lesson. (comprender) La comprenden. 12. She watches television. (mirar) La mira. 13. He makes you cry. Te hace llorar. 14. I love her. (amar) La amo. 15. She believes it. (creer) Lo cree. 16. ¿Dónde compra Pablo los libros? Los compra en la tienda. 17. ¿Conoces la capital de España? Sí, la conozco. 18. ¿Miras las telenovelas? Sí, las miro. 19. ¿Dónde estudia Bill el español? Lo estudia en Guatemala. 20. ¿Comprenden ustedes esta lección? Sí, la comprendemos.

Juego de Objetos Directos Pronombres Con Timbres

She listens to me. Me escucha

They write to him. Lo escriben

I know you. Te conozco

We want them (los papeles) Los queremos

I have it (el mapa) Lo tengo

Rotense

Lo puede hacer Puede hacerlo He can do it (trabajar) Lo puede hacer Puede hacerlo

He wants to wear it (el abrigo) Lo quiere llevar Quiere llevarlo

They make me listen Me hacen escuchar

We need to write to them (nuestros hermanos) Los necesitamos escribir Necesitamos escribirlos

I run to them (mis novias) Las corro

Rotense

You walk it (el camino) every day Lo caminas cada día

They are going to be them (los personajes de Marvel) Los van a ser Van a serlos

You left it (la fiesta) La saliste

I sold it (el carro) Lo vendí

They bought it (la camisa) La compraron

Rotense

We needed you Te necesitamos

You watched it (la tele) La miraste

He opened them (las cajas) Las abrió

I read it (el libro) Lo leí

She sang to us. Nos cantó

Rotense

I made them (los regalos) Los hice

We wrote it (el ensayo) Lo escribimos

Do you understand it? (esta lección) ¿La entiendes? ¿La comprendes?

You studied it (el español) Lo estudiaste

They gave it to me (la hamburguesa) Me la dieron

Rotense

We talked to him. Lo hablamos

She left it (el partido) Lo salió

We sang it (la canción) La cantamos

They spoke to her La hablaron

I received it (el regalo) Lo recibí

Rotense

Verbos 2 She waits for me Me espera

They start it (la escuela) La empiezan

My name is Brian (I call myself Brian) Me llamo Brian

They learn it (montar bicicleta) Lo aprenden

You look for us Nos buscas

Rotense

I remember you Te recuerdo

He finishes it (la tarea) La termina

They believe it (la Biblia) La creen

We see them (los parientes) Los vemos

I need to return it (el libro) Lo necesito volver Nececito volverlo

Rotense

You follow me there Me sigues allá

She wants to bring them (sus amigos) Los quiere traer Quiere traerlos

We need to cook it (el pavo) Lo nececitamos cocinar Necesitamos cocinarlo

They ask us a favor Nos piden un favor

You ask me (a question) Me preguntas

Rotense Send up your best representative

I quit it (el voleibol) last year Lo dejé el año pasado

She found them (los anillos) Los encontró

You finished it (la carrera) La terminaste

They gave you Te dieron

We took them candy Los tomamos dulces