Indirect Object Pronouns: Me, Te, Le

What are Indirect Object Pronouns?

In Spanish, an indirect object is the person or thing that receives the direct object. Think of it as answering the question 'to whom?' or 'for whom?' the action is done.

Instead of repeating the full noun (e.g., 'to the man'), we use short pronouns to make sentences flow better. The three we're focusing on are:

• me = to/for me
• te = to/for you (informal, 'tú')
• le = to/for him, her, it, you (formal, 'usted')

Placement Rule: These pronouns almost always go before the conjugated verb.

Examples:

• Ella me compra un libro. (She buys a book for me.)
• Yo te digo la verdad. (I tell the truth to you.)
• El doctor le da una receta. (The doctor gives a prescription to him/her.)

A Quick Note for Your Reading

As you read more complex stories, you'll notice two things:

1. Clarification: Since le can mean 'to him,' 'to her,' or 'to you (formal),' writers often add a clarifying phrase like a él, a ella, or a usted later in the sentence. For example: Le doy el libro a Juan. This just makes it clear who le refers to.

2. Other Pronouns: You will also encounter the plural forms: nos (to/for us), os (to/for you all, Spain), and les (to/for them/you all). They follow the exact same placement rule!