Spanish Direct Object Pronoun

What Are Direct Object Pronouns?

Direct object pronouns (DOPs) replace or refer to the direct object of a sentence—that is, what or who receives the action of the verb:

• Todos te queremos. (We all love you. — DOP: "tú" [you])

• ¿Dónde pongo el libro? / Ponlo en la mesa. (Where should I put the book? / Put it on the table. — DOP: "el libro" [the book])

There are eight DOPs in Spanish. Here they are alongside their respective personal pronouns:

How to Use Direct Object Pronouns 

We use direct object pronouns to replace the noun receiving the action (the object of the sentence). For example:

Sara es mi mejor amiga; la conocí en la escuela primaria. (Sara is my best friend; I met her in elementary school.)

In this example, we use the singular, feminine DOP "la" to refer to Sara rather than repeating her name. The listener already knows who "la" refers to. Here’s another example:

Ese libro es muy bueno. Lo leí en tres días. (That book is very good. I read it in three days.)

Here, the DOP "lo" (in this case, meaning "it") replaces the noun "libro" (book). We use the singular masculine DOP "lo" because the noun is also singular and masculine. 

Placement of Direct Object Pronouns

Direct object pronouns are usually placed before the conjugated verb in a sentence:

• Vi mi álbum favorito y lo compré. (I saw my favorite album and bought it.)

There are a few exceptions to this rule, however:

Infinitvives and Gerunds

When using an infinitive verb, the DOP can either go before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive. For example:

• La voy a llamar. (I’m going to call her.)

• Voy a llamarla. (I’m going to call her.)

This is also true when using a "gerundio" (equivalent to the present participle in English):

• La estoy llamando. (I’m calling her.)

• Estoy llamándola. (I’m calling her.)

As you can see, you must add an accent to the "gerundio" + DOP combination to maintain the proper pronunciation.

Commands

When using an DOP with a command (the imperative), the DOP must be attached to the end of the verb. In many cases, an accent must be added here as well. For example:

• ¡Ayúdame! (Help me!) 

• Dilo en voz alta. (Say it out loud.)

This is not the case with negative commands, though. Negative commands must follow the standard rule of placing the DOP before the verb:

• No me ayudes. (Don't help me.)

• No lo digas en voz alta. (Don't say it out loud.)

Verbs Commonly Used with Direct Object Pronouns

Some verbs are almost always accompanied by a direct object. These are known as transitive verbs—verbs that inflict an action on something else. Here are some common examples: