Spanish direct object pronouns: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las

Spanish direct object pronouns

What is a direct object pronoun in Spanish?

The direct object answers who or what receives the action: Leo el libro. What do I read? El libro. Replace it with lo: Lo leo.

For things and most people, third-person pronouns agree with the noun: Veo a Ana → La veo; veo a Carlos → Lo veo. The personal a before a person does not make the object indirect.

Place the pronoun before a conjugated verb: La compro. Attach it to an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command: comprarla, comprándola, cómprala. With an infinitive or gerund construction, both positions can be correct: La voy a comprar / Voy a comprarla.

Spanish direct object pronoun chart at a glance

yo → me; tú → te; él/it masculine → lo; ella/it feminine → la.

nosotros/as → nos; vosotros/as → os; masculine or mixed plural → los; feminine plural → las.

Before a conjugated verb: Lo necesito. Before a negative command: No lo compres.

Attached to an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command: verlo, viéndola, cómpralos. Add a written accent when attachment changes the stress: leyéndola, cómpralo.

32 Spanish direct object pronoun examples

Start with the complete chart, then compare gender and number, placement, people, and direct-versus-indirect contrasts.

Learn the system in four blocks

Master the basic chart, third-person agreement, placement, and direct-versus-indirect contrasts separately.

How do you choose and place the pronoun?

Find the action and ask who or what is directly affected. If the answer is a noun phrase such as el libro, la carta, los billetes, or las entradas, replace it with lo, la, los, or las.

Keep person, gender, and number. Me, te, nos, and os identify the person directly affected; third-person lo/la/los/las identify the noun being replaced.

Put the pronoun before a conjugated verb or negative command. Attach it to an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command. In central and northern Spain, le for one male person is accepted, but lo is the neutral form used throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Hola Cards is a Spanish flashcard app from holacards.org for iOS and Android. It is free to download, requires no account, has no ads, and works offline. The interface is available in English, Russian, and Portuguese; cards support translations in 28 languages and 18 practice and game modes. You can import these sentences into a custom group for Spanish audio, writing, pronunciation, and spaced review. Hola Cards is not a complete grammar course and does not automatically analyse whether an object is direct or indirect, so use the chart and explanations on this page for the rule.

Continue with subject pronouns, possessive adjectives, Spanish present tense, question words, and flashcards with sentences.

Spanish subject pronouns / Spanish possessive adjectives / Spanish present tense endings / Spanish question words / Spanish flashcards with sentences

A five-minute practice routine

1. Underline the direct object in eight noun sentences.
2. Replace four singular nouns with lo or la.
3. Change those nouns to plural and use los or las.
4. Say each infinitive pair both ways: Lo voy a comprar / Voy a comprarlo.
5. Contrast one direct and one indirect object: La llamo, but le escribo.

Grammar references

The A2 forms, agreement, placement, and accepted masculine-person leísmo note were checked against these sources.

• Instituto Cervantes: A2 lo, la, los, las forms, agreement, and placement
• Instituto Cervantes: standard direct-object forms and accepted masculine-person leísmo
• RAE–ASALE: la as an unstressed personal pronoun

**Spanish direct object pronouns: 32 examples**

¿Me ves? - Can you see me?
Te llamo esta tarde. - I will call you this afternoon.
Lo compro hoy. - I am buying it today. (masculine)
La compro hoy. - I am buying it today. (feminine)
Nos conocen bien. - They know us well.
Os invito a cenar. - I invite you all to dinner. (Spain)
Los necesito mañana. - I need them tomorrow. (masculine/mixed)
Las necesito mañana. - I need them tomorrow. (feminine)
Tengo el libro. Lo leo cada noche. - I have the book. I read it every night.
Tengo la carta. La leo ahora. - I have the letter. I am reading it now.
¿Ves a Carlos? Sí, lo veo. - Do you see Carlos? Yes, I see him.
¿Ves a Ana? Sí, la veo. - Do you see Ana? Yes, I see her.
Compro los billetes y los guardo. - I buy the tickets and keep them.
Compro las entradas y las guardo. - I buy the tickets and keep them. (feminine)
No entiendo esto. No lo entiendo. - I do not understand this. I do not understand it.
Conozco a Marta y a Elena. Las conozco del trabajo. - I know Marta and Elena. I know them from work.
Lo voy a comprar. - I am going to buy it.
Voy a comprarlo. - I am going to buy it.
La estoy leyendo. - I am reading it. (feminine)
Estoy leyéndola. - I am reading it. (feminine)
Quiero verla. - I want to see her / it.
Estoy buscándolos. - I am looking for them. (masculine/mixed)
¡Cómpralo ahora! - Buy it now! (masculine)
No lo compres todavía. - Do not buy it yet.
Le escribo a Ana, pero la llamo después. - I write to Ana, but I call her later.
Veo a Juan. Lo veo junto al banco. - I see Juan. I see him by the bank.
En parte de España también se oye: Le veo. - In parts of Spain you also hear: I see him.
Veo a Laura. La veo junto al banco. - I see Laura. I see her by the bank.
Doy el libro a Marta. Se lo doy hoy. - I give the book to Marta. I give it to her today.
Doy las llaves a mis amigos. Se las doy ahora. - I give the keys to my friends. I give them to them now.
¿Me lo explicas otra vez? - Will you explain it to me again?
Te la envío mañana. - I will send it to you tomorrow. (feminine)