Direct object pronouns in Spanish are used to replace a noun that receives the action in a sentence. In short, these words are crucial for effective communication.
Samantha esperó a sus amigos. ➝
Samantha waited for her friends.
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Sus amigos, a plural masculine noun, is the object receiving the action. In this case, that activity is waiting. Pronouns that replace the people we talk about or objects must mark the gender and number. So, in this case, the correct answer is los.
Yo cerré la ventana. ➝
I closed the window.
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La ventana is the thing affected by the verb cerrar. Therefore, for this example, we use la to replace this singular feminine noun.
Ayer vi a tus primos. ➝
Yesterday, I saw your cousins at the airport.
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Tus primos is what I say (they receive the action). Since this is a plural masculine object, los is the pronoun we should use in this sentence. Remember that these pronouns are placed in front of a conjugated verb.
No he visto la película que me recomendaste. ➝
I haven’t seen the movie you recommend to me.
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La película que me recomendaste is the answer to the question "what haven't I seen". These pronouns can replace single words or more complex structures like this example. So, in this case, la replaced that noun phrase. Don't forget that, with perfect tenses, object pronouns must be placed before the verb haber.
¿Cómo preparo pollo frito? ➝
How do I prepare fried chicken?
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'Pollo frito' is what I want to prepare. Since this dish is the receiver of the action, we must use the pronoun lo to replace it. Remember that lo is the equivalent of 'it' when referring to singular masculine things.
Cierra la puerta ➝
Close the door!
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La puerta is a feminine singular noun, which means that it can be replaced by la. With affirmative commands, direct object pronouns must always be attached to the verb.
Voy a cuidar al bebé. ➝
I’m going to take care of the baby.
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With progressive tenses or verbal phrases (such as the near future), the direct object pronoun can be placed before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive or gerund.
¿Quién os invitó a vosotros? ➝
Who invited you guys?
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'Vosotros' is the answer to the question "who did they invite?". Therefore, the pronoun for this sentence is 'os'. To rewrite this phrase, you simpy need to use this pronoun and delete "a vosotros".
No muevas el carro. ➝
Don’t move the car.
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With negative commands, direct objects pronouns must be always placed before the conjugated verb. For this example, lo is the pronoun we should use to replace ‘el carro’.
Juan nos dio los libros. ➝
Juan gave us the books.
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In this sentence, we use los because the noun we replace is plural and masculine. When a sentence also has an indirect object, indirect object pronouns are placed before Spanish direct object pronouns. Therefore, in this example, the correct answer is Juan nos los dio.
Quiz Results
| Question | Answer Given | Correct Answer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samantha esperó a sus amigos. ➝ _____ | |||
| Yo cerré la ventana. ➝ _____ | |||
| Ayer vi a tus primos. ➝ _____ | |||
| No he visto la película que me recomendaste. ➝ _____ | |||
| ¿Cómo preparo pollo frito? ➝ _____ | |||
| Cierra la puerta ➝ _____ | |||
| Voy a cuidar al bebé. ➝ _____ | |||
| ¿Quién os invitó a vosotros? ➝ _____ | |||
| No muevas el carro. ➝ _____ | |||
| Juan nos dio los libros. ➝ _____ |
Spanish Direct Object Pronouns Practice: Instructions
You’ve been given 10 sentences containing a direct object, which you’ll have to replace with direct object pronouns. Complete each question by entering the correct answer in the text field under the sentence provided (you should see your answer appear in the blank space as you type). Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
- Since you’re rewriting the whole sentence, make sure to include question marks and finish your sentences with a period. Otherwise, they would be marked as incorrect.
- Do not forget to add any accent marks as required. You may enter them by clicking on the buttons provided or by using your own keyboard shortcuts.
If you forgot what object pronouns you should use or how to find the object, you can check my guide on direct object pronouns.
Spanish Grammar: Notes for Direct Object Pronouns
Here is a summary of this grammar topic:
- Me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, and las are the object pronouns we must use to replace direct objects.
- Some of these pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace.
- Direct objects are nouns or pronouns that receive the action of the verb (they’re affected by it).
- The position of these object pronouns depends on the verb form.
Indirect Object Pronouns Quiz & Related Resources
There are different types of object pronouns in Spanish, such as reflexive and indirect object pronouns. Since they’re all important, here are some free test you should check: