Direct Objects
• … are the person or thing that receives the
action of the verb.
• … answer the questions “What” and
“Whom” after an action verb.
• … have direct object pronouns (DOPs) that
replace direct objects in a sentence.
• In Spanish, when the direct object is a
person or a pet, a personal “A” must be
used.
Pause for practice
Actividades I and II
Actividad 1:
• Mary gave me the
book.
• We can see the
signs.
• I like apples.
• Please invite me to
the party.
• Tom and Brandy
called us yesterday.
• What did Mary
give?
• What can we see?
• What do I like?
• Who are you
inviting?
• Who did Tom and
Brandy call?
Actividad 2: How did you do?
• Tomás spilled the milk all over the floor.
Tomás spilled it all over the floor.
• I left a check for you on the counter.
I left it for you on the counter.
• We looked for you but you weren’t at the
mall.
We looked for you but you weren’t at the
mall.
Actividad 2: How did you do?
• They filled the gas tank last night.
They filled it last night..
• I am waiting for my friend to finish a test in
English class.
I am waiting for her to finish a test in
English class..
In Spanish there are 8 direct
object pronouns.
These words replace the direct
object in the sentence. You
won’t use a DOP and the direct
object at the same time.
The 8 direct object pronouns are:
• ME
• NOS
• TE
• OS
• LO,LA • LOS,LAS
Note how third person LO and LA agree in
number with the object they represent.
Pause for practice
Actividad III
How did you do?
El chico
Usted y Tina
Ellos y yo
Lo
Los/Las
La casa
Las mochilas
Yo
Tú
Paco y Lilia
Mi tarea
La
Te
Las
Los
Nos
Me
La
But… you know Spanish is not
as simple as changing one word
to another.
You have to know where the
word belongs in the sentence.
There are four rules in
regards to placement of
DOPs in the sentence.
The great thing is that
we’ve already talked about
them!
Remember the reflexive pronoun placement
rules?
CONJUGATED VERB
If there’s a ___________________
in the
sentence, the direct object pronoun goes
BEFORE the verb.
_________
LA
Tengo mi tarea ahora.
_____
LA tengo ahora.
Object
Conjugated
Pronoun
Verb
If a sentence is negative and
there’s a “NO” in front of the verb,
the direct object pronoun goes
between the “NO” and the verb.
Compré los sellos para mi mamá ayer.
Los compré para mi mamá ayer.
NO los compré para mi mamá ayer.
Pause for practice
Actividad IV
How did you do?
1. Pablo no la usó al restaurante anoche.
2. ¿Los compraste al centro comercial?
3. Lo siento, mamá, pero lo comí después
del almuerzo.
4. Lo saqué de la biblioteca para mi clase
de literatura.
5. Mis padres todavía no lo cobraron al
banco.
INFINITIVE
If there’s an ___________
in the sentence,
ATTACHED
the direct object pronoun gets ___________
to the verb.
LOS
Queremos levantar a ellos temprano.
Queremos levantar____
LOS temprano.
Infinitive
Object
Pronoun
“Levantarlos” is ONE WORD.
BUT…
since there is also a CONJUGATED VERB in
the sentence, the direct object pronoun can still
go BEFORE the conjugated verb.
Queremos levantar_____
LOS temprano.
LOS queremos
_____
levantar
temprano.
Infinitive
Object
Pronoun
Object
Conjugated
Pronoun
Verb
If a sentence is negative and
there’s a “NO” in front of the verb,
the direct object pronoun goes
between the “NO” and the verb.
Tuve que comprar los sellos para mi mamá ayer.
Los tuve que comprar para mi mamá ayer.
NO los tuve que comprar para mi mamá ayer.
Pause for practice
Actividad V
How did you do?
1. Pilar no va a cantarla para su audición.
Pilar no la va a cantar para su audición.
2. Podemos traerlas a la fiesta este viernes.
Las podemos traer a la fiesta este viernes.
3. Tengo que limpiarlo esta tarde y no puedo
ir.
Lo tengo que limpiar esta tarde y no puedo ir.
PRESENT
PARTICIPLE in the
If there’s a __________
____________
sentence, the direct object pronoun gets
ATTACHED to the verb.
_________
LO
Susi y Mari están escribiendo el cheque ahora.
Susi y Mari están escribiendo
escribiéndo ___
LO ahora.
Participle
HOWEVER…
THEREFORE…
Object Pronoun
When you attach to the end of the participle, you
add a syllable to the word, which messes with the
natural stress.
The participle will need a written accent over the
“A” in –ANDO or the “E” in –IENDO.
BUT…
since there is also a CONJUGATED VERB in
the sentence, the direct object pronoun can still
go BEFORE the conjugated verb.
Susi y Mari están escribiéndo___
LO ahora.
Participle
Object
Pronoun
Susi y Mari ___
ahora.
LO están escribiendo
Object
Conjugated
Pronoun
Verb
If a sentence is negative and
there’s a “NO” in front of the verb,
the direct object pronoun goes
between the “NO” and the verb.
Estoy comprando los sellos para mi mamá ahora.
Los estoy comprando para mi mamá ahora.
NO los estoy comprando para mi mamá ahora.
Pause for practice
Actividad VI
How did you do?
1. Estamos comprándola a la farmacia.
La estamos comprando a la farmacia.
2. Andrés está estudiándolo para el examen
mañana .
Andrés lo está estudiando para el examen
mañana .
3. Ellos no están sacándolas de la boda.
Ellos no las están sacando de la boda.
AFFIRMATIVE
If the verb in the sentence is an ____________
COMMAND the direct object pronoun gets
_________,
_________
ATTACHED to the verb ALWAYS
LA
Prepara la cena.
Prepara____
LA
Command
Object
Pronoun
Affirmative commands are when
you tell someone to do
something. Regular commands
are formed by conjugating in the
“tú” form and dropping the “S”.
Irregular commands will be
covered later this year.
Prepara__
Prepára__
LA
HOWEVER…
When the command is more than one
syllable AND you attach to the end of the
participle, you add a syllable to the word,
which messes with the natural stress.
THEREFORE…
The command will need a written accent.
Count back 3 vowels from the end (including
the direct object pronoun) and you will be
over the right letter MOST OF THE TIME.
EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE: ESTUDIAR AND LIMPIAR.
Pause for practice
Actividad VII
How did you do?
1. Pásalas, por favor.
2. Págalo.
3. Encuéntralos ahora.
4. Sácala.
5. Pídela.
Pause for practice
Actividad VIII
Try to translate these
sentences into Spanish:
1. We talk to you often.
2. They are going to watch it
(television).
3. I have them (the papers).
4. Juan, call her!
5. You are doing it (the exercise)
now?
How did you do?
We talk to you often
Te hablamos a menudo.
They are going to watch it
(television).
La van a ver. OR Van a verla.
I have them (the papers).
Los tengo.
How did you do?
Juan, call her!
Juan, ¡llámala!
You are doing it (the exercise)
now?
¿Estás haciéndolo ahora? OR
¿Lo estás haciendo ahora?
What do you remember?
WHAT
• Direct objects answer the questions _____
and _____.
WHOM
• A personal “A” is used when…..
• What are the 8 direct object pronouns?
• Where will a DOP go when an infinitive is
BEFORE THE VERB OR
in the sentence? EITHER
ATTACHED TO THE INFINITIVE
• What is the accent rule when attaching a
THE “A” IN
DOP to a present participle? OVER
–ANDO OR THE “E” IN
–IENDO.