How to Say "them" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “them” is “los” — use 'los' when 'them' refers to masculine people or things as a direct object..
los
/lohs//los/
Examples
¿Ves los coches? Sí, los veo.
Do you see the cars? Yes, I see them.
Tengo dos boletos. ¿Los quieres?
I have two tickets. Do you want them?
A mis amigos, los llamo cada semana.
My friends, I call them every week.
Replacing Nouns
Use 'los' to replace masculine plural nouns that receive an action. Instead of saying 'I read the books' ('Leo los libros'), you can say 'I read them' ('Los leo').
Where to Put 'Los'
'Los' usually goes right before the action word (the verb). For example, 'Los compro' (I buy them). It can also get attached to the end of an infinitive verb, like 'Quiero comprarlos' (I want to buy them).
Mixing up 'los' and 'les'
Mistake: “A mis amigos, *les* veo en el parque.”
Correction: Use 'A mis amigos, los veo en el parque.' You use 'los' for people/things that directly get the action (I see *them*). You use 'les' for people who receive something indirectly (I give a gift *to them*).
las
/lahs//las/
Examples
¿Ves a mis hermanas? Sí, las veo.
Do you see my sisters? Yes, I see them.
Compré unas manzanas y las puse en la mesa.
I bought some apples and I put them on the table.
Tengo tus cartas; voy a leerlas esta noche.
I have your letters; I'm going to read them tonight.
Where Does It Go?
This 'las' usually comes right before the action word (the verb). For example, 'Las compro' (I buy them). It can also attach to the end of some verb forms, like 'Voy a comprarlas' (I'm going to buy them).
Confusing 'las' with 'les'
Mistake: “Les vi en el parque.”
Correction: Las vi en el parque. Use 'las' when 'they' are the direct target of the action (I saw *them*). Use 'les' for actions done 'to them' or 'for them' (I gave a gift *to them* -> Les di un regalo).
ellas
/EY-yas//ˈe.ʝas/
Examples
¿Dónde están las chicas? Ellas están en el parque.
Where are the girls? They are in the park.
Mis hermanas son doctoras. Ellas trabajan mucho.
My sisters are doctors. They work a lot.
Las sillas son rojas. Ellas son muy cómodas.
The chairs are red. They are very comfortable.
Who is 'They'?
Use 'ellas' to say 'they' when you're talking about a group made up of ONLY women, girls, or things that are considered feminine in Spanish (like 'las mesas' - the tables).
A Handy Shortcut
'Ellas' lets you avoid repeating yourself. Instead of saying 'Las chicas son inteligentes. Las chicas estudian mucho,' you can say 'Las chicas son inteligentes. Ellas estudian mucho.'
The Mixed-Group Rule
Mistake: “When talking about one boy and one girl, a learner might say: 'El chico y la chica... ellas son amigos.'”
Correction: Always use 'ellos' for a mixed group, even if it's 99 women and 1 man. The correct way is: 'El chico y la chica... ellos son amigos.'
les
/less//les/
Examples
A tus amigos les vi en el cine ayer.
I saw your friends at the movies yesterday.
Si ves a los niños, diles que vuelvan. Y si no les ves, llámales.
If you see the boys, tell them to come back. And if you don't see them, call them.
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.
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.
Confusing 'los/las' with 'les'
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.