Español — Indirect object pronouns
Indirect object pronouns mark who receives or benefits from the action: me, te, le, nos, os, les. They come before the conjugated verb, as in me da un regalo ("he/she gives me a gift").
How it works
The unstressed pronoun stands in for the recipient and goes before the conjugated verb: te escribo una carta ("I write you a letter"), nos dan las llaves ("they give us the keys"). With an infinitive or gerund it may attach to the end: voy a decirle la verdad, estoy contándoles todo.
The pronouns
| Pronoun | Refers to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| me | to/for me | me das el número |
| te | to/for you (sing.) | te preparo la comida |
| le | to/for him, her, you (formal) | le mando un mensaje |
| nos | to/for us | nos cuenta un chiste |
| os | to/for you (pl., Spain) | os traigo café |
| les | to/for them, you (pl. formal) | les pido un favor |
Good to know
Spanish usually keeps the pronoun even when the full recipient is named — this "redundant doubling" is normal: le doy el libro a Juan (not just doy el libro a Juan). With le/les it is nearly obligatory. Note that before lo/la/los/las the forms le and les turn into se: se lo doy a Juan, never le lo doy.