- Understand what direct objects are and how to identify them in Spanish sentences
- Learn the usage of lo, la, los, and las to replace nouns
- Apply correct gender and number agreement when using direct object pronouns
- Position pronouns correctly (before conjugated verbs or attached to infinitives)
- Avoid common mistakes with pronoun placement and gender matching
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Direct Object Pronouns: lo, la, los, las
What You'll Learn
Overview / Usage
Direct Object Pronouns: The Ultimate Spanish Shortcut
Stop repeating yourself! Learn how to replace nouns with tiny words that make your Spanish flow naturally.
🇬🇧 Quick English Reminder: What Are Direct Objects?
A direct object is the thing or person that directly receives the action of the verb. It answers the question "what?" or "whom?"
I read the book
What do I read? → the book
She sees him
Whom does she see? → him
In English, we replace direct objects with: it, him, her, them, me, you, us
The Magic Transformation
❌ Repetitive:
Compro el libro. Leo el libro. Me gusta el libro.
✅ Natural:
Compro el libro. Lo leo. Me gusta.
The Big Picture
Direct object pronouns replace the things that receive the action directly. Think of them as the "it", "him", "her", "them" of Spanish!
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | me | nos |
| 2nd | te | os |
| 3rd | lo/la | los/las |
💡 3rd person changes for gender (lo/la = him/it or her/it)
Structure & Formation
🎯 Meet Your Direct Object Pronouns
👤
People Pronouns
me: me
te: you (informal)
nos: us
os: you all (Spain)
These replace people as direct objects
📦
Thing Pronouns
lo: him, it (masculine)
la: her, it (feminine)
los: them (masculine)
las: them (feminine)
These replace things and people (3rd person)
Quick Reference Chart
Masculine Singular
lo
el libro → lo
Feminine Singular
la
la casa → la
Masculine Plural
los
los libros → los
Feminine Plural
las
las casas → las
📍 Where Do They Go?
📍
Before Conjugated Verbs
Lo veo (I see it)
La compramos (We buy it)
Los tengo (I have them)
Most common position - right before the verb
🔗
Attached to Infinitives
Quiero verlo (I want to see it)
Vamos a comprarla (We're going to buy it)
Puedo hacerlos (I can do them)
Stick them to the end of infinitive verbs
💡 Pro Tip: Two Positions, Same Meaning!
Lo quiero ver
Before the conjugated verb
=
Quiero verlo
Attached to the infinitive
Both mean "I want to see it" - choose whichever sounds better!
Examples
🌟 Real-World Examples
🛒 Shopping Scenarios
Compro el pan. → Lo compro.
I buy the bread. → I buy it.
Vendo la casa. → La vendo.
I sell the house. → I sell it.
Necesito los zapatos. → Los necesito.
I need the shoes. → I need them.
👨👩👧👦 Family & Friends
Veo a María. → La veo.
I see María. → I see her.
Llamo a mis padres. → Los llamo.
I call my parents. → I call them.
Invitan a las chicas. → Las invitan.
They invite the girls. → They invite them.
💬 Natural Conversations
🍕 At the Restaurant
Waiter: ¿Quiere la pizza?
You: Sí, la quiero.
Waiter: ¿Y los refrescos?
You: Los traigo después.
You: Sí, la quiero.
Waiter: ¿Y los refrescos?
You: Los traigo después.
📚 At School
Teacher: ¿Tienes los libros?
Student: Sí, los tengo aquí.
Teacher: ¿Y la tarea?
Student: La hice anoche.
Student: Sí, los tengo aquí.
Teacher: ¿Y la tarea?
Student: La hice anoche.
Gotchas / Common Mistakes
⚠️ Common Mistakes & Gotchas
❌ Wrong Gender Match
Wrong:La libro leo
Correct:Lo leo
Remember: 'el libro' is masculine, so use 'lo'!
❌ Wrong Position
Wrong:Veo lo
Correct:Lo veo
Pronouns go BEFORE conjugated verbs!
❌ Forgetting "a" with People
Wrong:Veo María → Veo la
Correct:Veo a María → La veo
Use "a" with people, but the pronoun stays the same!
❌ Mixing Up Plurals
Wrong:Las libros leo
Correct:Los leo
Masculine plural = los, feminine plural = las
🧠 Memory Tricks That Actually Work
🎯 The Gender Game
Think of the article: el libro → lo, la casa → la. Same gender!
📍 Position Power
Before conjugated verbs, after infinitives. That's it!
👥 People Pattern
People get "a" before them, but pronouns work exactly the same way.
🔄 Practice Replacement
See a noun? Replace it! "Compro pan" → "Lo compro". Make it automatic.
Quick Test / Mini Quiz
🎯 Interactive Direct Object Pronouns Quiz
Test your mastery of Spanish direct object pronouns!
1
📖 'I read the book.' How do you say 'I read it' using a direct object pronoun?
2
🏠 'We buy the house.' What's 'We buy it' with a direct object pronoun?
3
🍎 'They eat the apples.' How do you say 'They eat them'?
4
👨👩👧👦 'I see my parents.' What's 'I see them' with a direct object pronoun?
5
📞 Where does the pronoun go in 'I want to call you'?
6
👩 'I see María.' Which is the correct transformation?
7
📚 'She is reading the books (los libros).' How do you say 'She is reading them'?
8
🎁 Which pronoun replaces 'la carta' (the letter)?
Want more in-depth practice? Try our interactive fill-in-the-blank exercises covering direct, indirect, and double object pronouns!