When a sentence has both a direct object (what?) and an indirect object (to whom?/for whom?), Spanish allows you to replace both with pronouns.
Order
The indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) comes first, followed by the direct object pronoun (lo, la, los, las).
| Spanish |
|---|
| Ella me (I.O.) da el libro (D.O.). |
| English |
Le → Se
If both pronouns begin with “l-” (le, les, lo, la, los, las), the indirect object pronoun le or les changes to se for easier pronunciation.
| Spanish |
|---|
| Él le (I.O.) da la carta (D.O.). |
| English |
Examples
| Spanish (with nouns) | Spanish (with double pronouns) |
|---|---|
| Quiero dar el regalo a Juan. | Quiero dárselo. |
| English | |
Placement
Double object pronouns are placed:
- Before a conjugated verb: Te lo doy.
- Attached to an infinitive or gerund: Voy a dártelo. / Estoy diciéndotelo.
Summary
- Indirect object pronoun (I.O.) goes before direct object pronoun (D.O.)
- Change le/les to se when followed by lo, la, los, las
- Pronouns can appear before a conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive/gerund
- Double object pronouns make sentences more concise and avoid repetition
Get Started
Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025