me / te
first/second singular recipients
Spanish 102 · Grammar
Indirect object pronouns
Indirect objects answer “to/for whom” — they pair with giving, telling, showing, and experience verbs.
The rule
IO pronouns precede the conjugated verb or attach to infinitives/commands: Le doy el libro / Voy a darle el libro.
Clarify ambiguous le/les with a + person: A él le gusta; A mis padres les toca pagar.
With gustar, the experiencer is IO: Me gusta el chocolate.
Se replaces le/les when a third-person DO pronoun follows: Se lo explico (I explain it to him/her/them).
¿Me puedes prestar tu cargador?Can you lend me your charger?
Les mandé un mensaje a mis compañeros.I sent my classmates a message.
Examples in context
Estudio español todos los días.I study Spanish every day.present habit
¿Puedes ayudarme con la tarea?Can you help me with the homework?request
Voy a la biblioteca después de clase.I go to the library after class.movement
No entiendo esta palabra.I do not understand this word.negation
Me gusta la música latina.I like Latin music.gustar
Tenemos clase mañana a las nueve.We have class tomorrow at nine.tener + noun
¿Dónde está el aula?Where is the classroom?estar — location
Es un examen difícil.It is a difficult exam.ser — description
Quick reference
le / les
third-person recipients (clarify with a + noun if needed)
nos / os
first/second plural recipients
Common mistakes
Wrong agreement
❌ Wrong: La problema es fácil.
✅ Correct: El problema es fácil.
Problema is masculine despite ending in -a.
Double subjects
❌ Wrong: Yo soy yo estudiante.
✅ Correct: Soy estudiante.
Drop redundant subject pronouns when the verb ending is clear.
Negation placement
❌ Wrong: Entiendo no.
✅ Correct: No entiendo.
Place no immediately before the conjugated verb.
Literal word order
❌ Wrong: ¿Qué hora es qué?
✅ Correct: ¿Qué hora es?
Keep standard question frames; do not copy English order.
Practice questions
Test what you just learned. Select an answer to see instant feedback.
_____ doy el libro a María. (I give her the book)
¿_____ escribes tarjetas a tus abuelos?
El profesor _____ explica la tarea a los estudiantes.
A ti _____ gusta el café con leche.
_____ mando un correo a Juan y a Ana.
You got 0/5 correct.
Want more practice on Indirect object pronouns?
Chapurra has 50 questions like these, organized by chapter. Capítulo Preliminar is free.
Start practicing free →FAQ
Where do direct object pronouns go?
In simple declaratives they usually sit immediately before the conjugated verb: Lo veo. After an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command, they attach to the end: Quiero verlo; Dímelo. Negative commands keep pronouns before the conjugated command form: No lo compres.
What is the difference between le and lo/la?
Le is an indirect object (“to/for him, her, you formal”). Lo and la are direct objects (“him/it” and “her/it” for specific things or people as objects). Mixing them changes who receives the action versus what is acted on. Some regional patterns broaden le, but most 101/102 exams stick to textbook IO/DO rules.
How do double object pronouns order?
Indirect comes before direct: me lo, te la, nos los. Third-person combinations use se for le/les before lo/la/los/las: Se lo di. Attach clusters to infinitives and affirmative commands as a unit: Quiero dártelo; Dámelo.
Why does me gusta use me instead of yo?
Gustar frames the thing as the subject and the person as an indirect object: Me gusta el café → “The coffee is pleasing to me.” That is why you see gusta/gustan and me/te/le/nos/os/les rather than yo + gusto for liking things.
Do pronouns agree with the noun they replace?
Direct and indirect object pronouns reflect gender and number of what they stand for, except that le/les does not show gender. When you replace “la tarea,” you need la, not lo. Practice by identifying the noun role (object of the verb) before you pick the pronoun.