Spanish Double Object Pronouns

A Spanish sentence can have both a direct and an indirect object pronoun. These "double object pronouns" cannot be separated, and the indirect pronoun always precedes the direct pronoun.

He's giving it to us. - Nos lo da.
What is he giving? - It.
To whom? - Us.

I'm showing it to you. - Te lo muestro.
What am I showing? - It.
To whom? - You.

Double object pronouns usually precede the verb(s) they modify. In the case of infinitives, present participles, and affirmative commands, they can get attached to the end - learn more.
 

Double object pronoun replacements

When a third person indirect object pronoun (le or les) precedes a third person direct object pronoun (lo, la, los, or las), the indirect pronoun must be changed to se. Context will let you know whether the se is replacing le or les.

le +  les +

{

lo la los las

=

se lo se la se los se las

He's giving it to them. - Se lo da.

I'm showing it to her. - Se lo muestro.

This replacement is not optional; native Spanish speakers would never say "le lo" or "les lo."

However, when se stands for les and is followed by the neuter pronoun lo, Spanish speakers in Latin America will often replace lo with los for clarification.

Nadie se los dijo - No one told them. (In Spain: Nadie se lo dijo)

Es verdad, se los aseguro [a Ustedes] - It's true, I assure you. (In Spain: Se los aseguro)

Direct object pronouns      Indirect object pronouns

Spanish grammar lessons     Spanish for beginners

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