Recently we discussed the very important objetos directos, and now it’s the turn of their sometimes partners: los objetos indirectos. Let’s have a look!
We use indirect object to indicate where the action received by the direct object is going.
- María compra un libro a Juan. Maria buys a book for Juan.
- Juan prepara una sorpresa para María. Juan prepares a surprise for María.
The indirect object answers the question “¿A quién?” (To whom?) or “¿Para quién? (For whom?) the action of the verb is performed.
- ¿A quién le compra el libro María? María lee el libro a Juan. For whom does María buy the book? María buys the book for Juan.
- ¿Para quién prepara una sorpresa Juan? Juan prepara una sorpresa para María. For whom does Juan prepare a surprise? Juan prepares a surprise for María.
Important:
Sentences that have an indirect object usually also have a direct object, but a lot of times that direct object will be implied or understood by context.
- María le lee (un libro) a Juan todas las noches. She reads (a book) to him every night.
INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS
We can also use pronouns to replace the full version of the indirect object.
| Person | Number of the object pronoun |
| 1st person, singular | María me envía una postal (a mí). María sends me a postcard. |
| 2nd person, singular | María te envía una postal (a tí). María sends you a postcard. |
| 3rd person, singular | María le envía una postal (a él, a ella, a usted). María sends him/her/you (formal) a poscard. |
| 1st person, plural | María nos envía una postal (a nosotros/nosotras). María sends us a postcard. |
| 2nd person, plural | María os envía una postal (a vosotros/vosotras). María sends you a postcard. |
| 3rd person, plural | María les envía una postal (a ellos, a ellas, a ustedes). María sends them a postcard. |
Indirect object pronouns do not change according to gender and they typically go before the verb.
- María envía una postal a Juan. –> María le envía una postal. María sends a postcard to Juan. –> María sends him a postcard.
- María envía una postal a Ana. –> María le envía una postal. María sends a postcard to Ana. –> María sends her a postcard.
- María envía una postal a Juan y a Pedro. –> María les envía una postal. María sends a postcard to Juan and Pedro. –> María sends them a postcard.
- María envía una postal a Ana y a Rosa. –> María les envía una postal. María sends a postcard to Ana and Rosa. –> María sends them a postcard.
Important:
The form se is used when the indirect object pronoun and the subject are the same. This form can be equivalent in English to the reflexive pronouns (-self), and we use it for all numbers and genders. This form can also be equivalent to the English reciprocal, each other or one another.
- María se envía una postal. Maria sends herself a postcard.
- Los niños se envían una postal. The children send themselves a postcard or the children send each other postcards.
Indirect object pronoun can be repeated if the speaker wishes to put emphasis on it.
- María me envía una postal. María sends me a postcard.
- María me envía una postal a mí. María sends me a postcard (as opposed to other people).
Activities for private students & members:
This content is locked
Login To Unlock The Content!
