Indirect Objects

Indirect objects are one of the most challenging aspects of Spanish grammar for English speakers to master. While English relies on word order and prepositions like "to" and "for" to show who receives an action (e.g., "Give the book to John"), Spanish uses a more complex system of pronouns and rules. This guide will break down everything you need to know about Spanish indirect objects, from basic concepts to common mistakes, with clear examples every step of the way.

In Spanish, the indirect object (objeto indirecto) in a sentence is the person (or sometimes thing) that receives the benefit of the action or is affected by the action of the verb indirectly.

• In English, you might see this as the “to/for whom” part of a sentence.

• In Spanish, this is often introduced by the preposition a (“to”) or para (“for”), but most importantly, it is signaled by specific pronouns in the sentence (e.g., me, te, le, nos, os, les).

Example in English:

“I give the book to María.”

Here, María is the indirect object because she is receiving the book.

Spanish equivalent:

“Yo le doy el libro a María.”

• le → indirect object pronoun representing “to her.”

• a María → clarifies whom “le” refers to.

#Why is it called “indirect”?

An indirect object is not the direct recipient of the action (that would be the direct object—in this case, “the book”). Instead, it is the secondary recipient of that action. If this sentence sounds confusing, think of it this way: the direct object “book” is experiencing the action “to give” directly (i.e., it is being given). María is only involved because she is receiving the direct object (the book). That makes María an indirect object.

If the concept still feels unclear, here are some additional clarifications:

1. Direct object answers the question “what” or “whom” is being verbed.

   • (What do I give? → the book)

2. Indirect object answers the question “to whom” or “for whom” the action is done.

   • (To whom do I give the book? → María)

Spanish has six indirect object pronouns. They take different forms depending on the person:

1. me → to/for me

2. te → to/for you (informal singular)

3. le → to/for him, to/for her, or to/for you (formal singular)

4. nos → to/for us

5. os → to/for you all (informal plural, used in Spain)

6. les → to/for them, to/for you all (formal plural in Latin America, or just plural in general usage outside of Spain)

When you see le or les, context is crucial to know if it means “to him,” “to her,” “to you (formal),” “to them,” or “to you all.” Often, Spanish speakers will clarify this by including a + [name/pronoun] afterward, especially if the meaning is not obvious from the context.

#Example with clarifications

“Le di un regalo.” → “I gave a present to him/to her/to you (singular/formal).”

“Le di un regalo a mi padre.” → “I gave a present to my father.”

“Les escribí un correo.” → “I wrote an email to them/to you (plural/formal).”

“Les escribí un correo a mis amigos.” → “I wrote an email to my friends.”

In Spanish, the indirect object pronoun usually precedes the conjugated verb. Let’s look at different scenarios:

#1. Before a Conjugated Verb

• Me dieron las llaves. → “They gave me the keys.”

• Le compré un regalo. → “I bought him/her a gift.”

#2. Attached to the End of an Infinitive

• Quiero darle un libro. → “I want to give him/her/you (formal) a book.”

• Puedes escribirme mañana. → “You can write to me tomorrow.”

#3. Attached to the End of a Gerund (Present Participle)

• Estoy comprándole flores. → “I am buying flowers for him/her.”

• Estás contándome la historia. → “You’re telling me the story.”

#4. Attached to the End of an Affirmative Command

• Dale el cuaderno. → “Give him/her the notebook.”

• Envíales la carta. → “Send them the letter.”

Several Spanish verbs routinely use indirect objects. Sometimes these verbs can be tricky because they might not always behave the same way in English:

1. dar (to give)

   • Le doy un regalo a mi hermana. → “I give a gift to my sister.”

2. decir (to say, to tell)

   • Te digo la verdad. → “I’m telling you the truth.”

3. gustar (to like)

   • Me gusta la pizza. → “I like pizza.”

     • Literally: “Pizza is pleasing to me.”

4. encantar (to love something)

   • Nos encanta viajar. → “We love to travel.”

     • Literally: “Traveling is delightful to us.”

5. faltar (to be lacking)

   • Me falta dinero. → “I’m lacking money” or “I don’t have enough money.”

     • Literally: “Money is lacking to me.”

6. importar (to matter)

   • Te importa si abro la ventana? → “Does it matter to you if I open the window?”

     • Literally: “Is it important to you if I open the window?”

Verbs like gustar, encantar, faltar, and importar in Spanish don’t follow the same subject-verb-object structure as “to like,” “to love,” “to lack,” or “to matter” in English. Instead, they follow a pattern akin to “Something is pleasing to someone.” The “someone” is the indirect object. We’ll cover that topic in an upcoming lesson.

• Forgetting to include the pronoun when using an indirect object:

  • Incorrect: Dije la verdad a Juan.

  • Correct: Le dije la verdad a Juan.

• Confusing le/les with lo/los (or la/las) when you mean “to him/her” vs. “him/her/it”:

  • Le = “to him,” “to her,” or “to you (formal)” (indirect)

  • Lo = “him” or “it” (direct, masculine)

  • La = “her” or “it” (direct, feminine)

• Placing the pronoun incorrectly in sentences with infinitives or commands:

  • With affirmative commands, attach the pronoun at the end.

  • With negative commands, place the pronoun before the verb.

  • With infinitives, you can place it before the conjugated verb or attach it to the infinitive.

Let’s look at a few examples that bring everything together:

Basic Indirect Object Example

• Spanish: Te compro un café.

• English: “I’m buying you a coffee.”

• Direct Object: What do I buy? => un café

• Indirect Object: For whom do I buy the coffee? => te

Clarification and Emphasis

• Spanish: Le compré un café a ella, no a él.

• English: “I bought a coffee for her, not for him.”

• Explanation: We add “a ella” and “a él” to be crystal clear about who is receiving the coffee.

Verb Like Gustar

• Spanish: Me encanta la música clásica.

• English: “I love classical music.” Literally: Classical music enchants me.

• Explanation: The subject is “la música clásica,” and “me” is the indirect object receiving the feeling of “encantar.”

Negative Command with Pronoun

• Spanish: No le des el libro.

• English: “Don’t give him/her the book.”

• Explanation: In negative commands, the pronoun precedes the verb.

Affirmative Command with Pronoun

• Spanish: Dale el libro.

• English: “Give him/her the book.”

• Explanation: With affirmative commands, the pronoun attaches to the end.

1. Always include the indirect object pronoun even if you also use “a + [person].” The pronoun is not optional — Spanish grammar requires it.

2. Practice with common verbs that frequently take indirect objects: dar, decir, preguntar, traer, regalar, etc.

3. Be mindful of clarity: Use a + [noun/pronoun] when necessary to remove ambiguity about “le” or “les.”

Indirect objects in Spanish indicate to whom or for whom an action is performed. They are typically marked by me, te, le, nos, os, les and can appear alongside direct objects. Knowing how to properly position these pronouns—especially in commands and with infinitives—takes practice, but it becomes intuitive over time. If you ever feel lost, try identifying both what is being acted upon (direct object) and to whom the action is directed (indirect object).

Keep practicing with real-life examples, paying particular attention to verbs like gustar and encantar, which use indirect object pronouns in a way that differs from English. Before long, using indirect objects in Spanish will become second nature!