le
“le” means “to/for him” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to/for him, to/for her, to/for you
Also: to/for it
📝 In Action
Le di el libro a María.
A1I gave the book to María.
¿Qué le vas a comprar a tu papá?
A2What are you going to buy for your dad?
Le escribo un correo electrónico a usted.
A2I'm writing an email to you (formal).
Le puse más sal a la sopa.
B1I added more salt to the soup.
him
📝 In Action
Le vi en el parque ayer.
B2I saw him in the park yesterday.
A tu hermano no le conozco.
B2I don't know your brother.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "le" in Spanish:
him→🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: le
Question 1 of 3
Complete the sentence: 'Yo ___ di el regalo a ella.' (I gave the gift to her.)
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word `illī`, which was a way of saying 'to that one'. Over time, it was shortened and evolved into the Spanish `le`.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see 'Se lo di' instead of 'Le lo di'?
It's a special rule for sound. In Spanish, whenever 'le' or 'les' would come right before 'lo', 'la', 'los', or 'las', the 'le' or 'les' changes to 'se'. It just makes the phrase easier to say.
What's the difference between 'le' and 'lo'?
Think of it this way: `le` is usually for the person *receiving* something (I gave the book **to him** -> `Le di el libro`). `lo` is for the person or thing *being directly acted on* (I saw **him** -> `Lo vi`).
Can 'le' mean 'for you'?
Yes, but only for the formal 'you' (`usted`). For the informal 'you' (`tú`), you use the pronoun `te`. For example: `Te doy un libro` (I give a book to you - informal) vs. `Le doy un libro` (I give a book to you - formal).
What's the plural of 'le'?
The plural is 'les'. You use 'les' when you are talking about 'to/for them' or 'to/for you all' (ustedes). For example, 'Les di los libros a los estudiantes' (I gave the books to the students).