les
/less/
Just like this person is giving flowers *to them*, 'les' tells you who receives the action when it's for more than one person.
les (Pronoun)
📝 In Action
Les doy el dinero.
A1I give the money to them.
Ella quiere comprarles un regalo.
A2She wants to buy a gift for them.
Señores, ¿les traigo algo de beber?
A2Gentlemen, can I bring you all something to drink?
No les digas nada.
B1Don't tell them anything.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is it for?
'Les' is a tiny word that does a big job. It answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom?" when you're talking about a group of people ('them' or 'you all').
Where does it go?
Usually, 'les' comes right before the action word (the verb). For example, 'Les compro' (I buy for them). It can also hook onto the end of a verb that's in its original '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form, like 'comprarles'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The 'les' to 'se' magic trick
Mistake: "Quiero darles lo. (I want to give it to them.)"
Correction: Quiero dárselo. To avoid the clunky 'les lo' sound, Spanish changes 'les' to 'se' whenever it's followed by 'lo', 'la', 'los', or 'las'. It's a sound rule, but 'se' here still means 'to them'!
Mixing up 'les' and 'los'
Mistake: "Yo los doy un libro. (I give them a book.)"
Correction: Yo les doy un libro. Use 'les' for the person *receiving* the book. Use 'los' for the people or things *being seen, known, or wanted* directly (e.g., 'Yo los veo' - I see them).
⭐ Usage Tips
Need to be extra clear?
Since 'les' can mean 'to them' or 'to you all', you can add 'a ellos', 'a ellas', or 'a ustedes' at the end of the sentence for clarity. For example: 'Les di el regalo a ustedes.'
In some parts of Spain, you might hear 'les' used to mean 'them' directly, like when this person points and says 'I see them' (`les veo`).
les (Pronoun (Regional))
📝 In Action
A tus amigos les vi en el cine ayer.
B2I saw your friends at the movies yesterday.
Si ves a los niños, diles que vuelvan. Y si no les ves, llámales.
C1If you see the boys, tell them to come back. And if you don't see them, call them.
💡 Grammar Points
A Regional Habit: 'Leísmo'
In many parts of Spain, people use 'le' and 'les' where most other Spanish speakers would use 'lo' and 'los'. This is called 'leísmo'. It's most common when talking about men.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Leísmo' Everywhere
Mistake: "Using 'les' instead of 'los' in Latin America or formal writing."
Correction: To be understood by everyone, it's safest to use 'los' when you mean 'them' as the direct target of an action (e.g., 'Los vi' - I saw them). Think of this use of 'les' as a regional dialect.
⭐ Usage Tips
Just Recognize It
For most learners, you don't need to use this form. The most important thing is to recognize it when you hear it from a Spanish speaker so you aren't confused.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: les
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says "She writes a letter to them"?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'les' and 'los'?
Think of it like this: 'les' is usually for the person *receiving* something (to them/for them). 'Los' is for the person or thing *being directly seen, heard, or known* (them). For example, 'Les doy los libros' (I give the books *to them*). 'Les' gets the action, and 'los' (the books) are the thing being acted on.
Why does 'les' sometimes become 'se'?
It's a sound rule to make Spanish flow better. The combination 'les lo' or 'le la' sounds a bit clunky to Spanish speakers. To fix this, they swap 'les' for 'se' anytime it's followed by 'lo,' 'la,' 'los,' or 'las.' So, 'I gave it to them' becomes 'Se lo di.' The meaning of 'se' in this case is still 'to them'!
Can 'les' mean 'to you all'?
Yes, absolutely! In Latin America, and in formal situations in Spain, 'les' is the pronoun for 'ustedes' (you all). For example, 'Chicos, ¿les gusta la pizza?' (Kids, do you all like the pizza?).