juntosLe, lo or la? Spanish object pronouns, explained
Four lessons on direct objects, indirect objects, double pronouns and the many jobs of se, then conversation that grades every pronoun you use or forget.
| Pronoun | Replaces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lo, la | A direct object: it, him, her, you (usted) | ¿El pasaporte? Lo tengo. |
| los, las | A plural direct object: them, you all | Las compré ayer. |
| le | An indirect object: to or for him, her, you (usted) | Le mandé un mensaje. |
| les | A plural indirect object: to or for them, you all | Les di las gracias. |
| se (for le or les) | Le or les when lo, la, los or las follows | Se lo di a mi jefe. |
| me, te, nos | Both direct and indirect objects | Te llamo luego. Me dio su número. |
Object pronouns are the small words that stand in for the things and people a verb acts on. Direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las) replace the thing being acted on: ¿el libro? Lo leí. Indirect object pronouns (le, les) mark who receives or is affected: le mandé un mensaje. When both appear together, Spanish puts the indirect one first and turns le into se: se lo doy, "I give it to him". And se has a whole second life as a reflexive, impersonal and "accidental" marker (se habla español, se me olvidó).
The trouble for English speakers is word order and omission. English puts objects after the verb, so the natural instinct is to say "uso mucho" and leave the "it" implied, or to bolt the pronoun onto the end where Spanish wants it in front of the conjugated verb. Then there is the le → se switch, which looks arbitrary until you have said se lo enough times, and the freedom to attach pronouns to an infinitive or gerund (quiero decírtelo), with the accent that placement requires.
The four lessons below cover each piece in order, with conjugation-style tables and short notes on placement. Then the AI tutor does what a textbook cannot: it notices when a pronoun is missing from a sentence that needed one, scores the message 0–100, and shows you the version a native speaker would write. Dropped and misplaced object pronouns are tracked in your Error Bank and revisited through spaced repetition, and the friend-practice and game modes give you the volume of repetitions that turns se lo into a reflex.
What's in this course
- Direct objects: lo / la / los / las, Replacing the 'it' / 'them'
- Indirect objects: le / les, To/for whom
- Double pronouns: se lo doy, When le meets lo, magic happens
- Se for everyone, se habla, se me olvidó, the utility pronoun
Each lesson below is the same material used inside the Juntos app, with two of its exercises to try. In the app every lesson has the full exercise set, and the AI tutor grades your conversation practice against what you have learned.
Lesson 1: Direct objects: lo / la / los / las
Replacing the 'it' / 'them'
Don't drop the "it" 🎯
In English we say "I use it a lot." Spanish needs that "it" too, as lo or la, placed before the verb:
- lo = it/him (masculine): ¿El café? Lo tomo cada día.
- la = it/her (feminine): ¿La comida? La preparo yo.
- los / las = them: ¿Los libros? Los leo.
With an infinitive, you can attach it to the end: Voy a usarlo = Lo voy a usar. Both correct.
Try it
¿El español? ___ uso mucho en el trabajo.
Spanish? I use it a lot at work.
- Le
- Lo
- La
Show answer
Lo · 'El español' is masculine → lo. 'Lo uso mucho.' Your exact pattern!
¿La cuenta? ___ pago yo. (= I'll pay it)
The bill? I'll pay it.
Show answer
La · 'La cuenta' is feminine → la pago.
Lesson 2: Indirect objects: le / les
To/for whom
le / les, to or for someone 🎁
The indirect object is the to/for whom. Use le (to him/her/you) and les (to them/you-all):
- Le doy el dinero al vendedor. (I give the money to the vendor.)
- Les escribo a mis padres. (I write to my parents.)
Note the "redundant" le even when the person is named, that's normal and correct in Spanish.
Try it
___ doy las gracias al camarero.
I give thanks to the waiter.
- Lo
- Le
- La
Show answer
Le · 'To the waiter' = indirect object → le.
A ella ___ gusta viajar.
She likes to travel.
Show answer
le · Gustar takes an indirect pronoun → le gusta.
Lesson 3: Double pronouns: se lo doy
When le meets lo, magic happens
Two pronouns walk into a sentence… 🎭
Order is always indirect before direct: Me lo das. (You give it to me.)
But le/les + lo/la is banned: le → se:
Never "le lo": always se lo.
With infinitives, attach both at the end: Voy a dárselo = Se lo voy a dar.
Try it
¿Me prestas tu mapa? Sí, ___ presto.
Will you lend me your map? Yes, I'll lend it to you.
- te lo
- lo te
- te le
Show answer
te lo · Indirect (te) before direct (lo): te lo presto.
¿Le diste las llaves al recepcionista? Sí, ___ di.
Did you give the keys to the receptionist? Yes, I gave them to him.
- le las
- se las
- las le
Show answer
se las · le + las is illegal → se las.
Lesson 4: Se for everyone
se habla, se me olvidó, the utility pronoun
The Swiss-army se 🔧
- Impersonal / signs: Se habla español. (Spanish spoken.) ¿Cómo se dice…? (How do you say…?)
- Accidents (the blame-dodger): Se me olvidó (I forgot, "it forgot itself on me"), Se me perdió el celular.
- Each other: Nos vemos mañana. (See you tomorrow, "we see each other".)
Try it
¿Cómo ___ dice 'ticket' en español?
How do you say 'ticket' in Spanish?
Show answer
se · Impersonal → se dice.
___ olvidó la contraseña. (I forgot)
I forgot the password.
- Me se
- Se me
- Yo se
Show answer
Se me · Always se before me: se me olvidó.
This course is free. Want it graded in conversation?
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Questions people ask
What is the difference between le and lo in Spanish?
Lo (and la, los, las) replaces the direct object, the thing or person receiving the action: lo compré (I bought it). Le (and les) replaces the indirect object, the person something is done to or for: le di el libro (I gave him the book).
When do you use le and les?
For the indirect object, usually a person: le escribo a mi madre (I write to my mother), les doy las gracias (I thank them). Les is simply the plural.
Why does le become se?
Before lo, la, los or las, le and les change to se so you never say le lo: se lo doy (I give it to him), se las mando (I send them to her).
Is it le or lo for a person?
In Latin America, use lo or la when the person is the direct object: lo vi (I saw him), la conozco (I know her). Some parts of Spain say le vi, which is called leísmo; lo is the safe choice.
Where do object pronouns go in Spanish?
Before a conjugated verb (lo veo, te lo digo), or attached to the end of an infinitive, a gerund or a positive command (quiero verlo, estoy haciéndolo, dímelo). With a negative command they go in front: no me lo digas.
How do you say 'it' in Spanish?
As a direct object, 'it' is lo for a masculine noun and la for a feminine one: ¿el boleto? Lo tengo. ¿La llave? La tengo. As a subject, 'it' is usually not said at all: es caro (it's expensive).
What order do two object pronouns go in?
Indirect first, then direct, both before a conjugated verb: me lo das, te la mando, se los compré. Le and les always become se in this position.
Why do Spanish speakers say 'le' and 'a mi hermano' in the same sentence?
Spanish normally keeps the indirect pronoun even when the person is named: le di el libro a mi hermano. The a phrase adds clarity or emphasis (a él, a ella, a usted), but le is the part that is normally required.
What does 'se me olvidó' mean?
It means 'I forgot', framed as 'it slipped my mind': the thing forgotten is the subject and me shows who it happened to. The verb agrees with the thing: se me olvidaron las llaves. The same pattern gives se me cayó (I dropped it) and se nos acabó (we ran out).
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