An indirect object pronoun (un pronombre de objeto indirecto) tells you to whom or for whom something is done. The indirect object pronouns indicate the noun to whom or for whom an action is intended. It represents the person or thing to which or for which the action is being done.
Yo le doy clases I give him classes.
Yo le compro el vestido I buy the dress for him (or: from him).
Yo no le escribo la carta I do not write the letter for him.
The indirect object pronoun le is placed before the verb that is conjugated. If the word “no,” is present, it is written before the indirect object pronoun le.
There are several meanings for the word le: to him; to her; to you (formal sing); and for les: to them (masc. and fem.) and to you (formal plural). Because le and les have several meanings, a phrase with a is often added to clarify them; in most cases, however, you can also use it to emphasize the indirect object pronoun.
Él me trae la comida a mí, He brings me the food.
Le (to him, to her, to you) is clarified by adding a él, a ella, or a usted; Les (to them, to you formal pl) is clarified by adding a ellos, a ellas, a uds.
All forms of indirect object pronouns
| Luis me da el libro | (a mí) | Luis gives the book to me |
| Te da | (a ti) | to you |
| Le da | (a él) | to him |
| Le da | (a ella) | to her |
| Le da | (a ud.) | to you |
| Luis nos da el libro | (a nosotros) | Luis gives the book to us. |
| Os da | (a vosotros) | to you (you all) |
| Les da | (a ellos) | to them (masc) |
| Les da | (a ellas) | to them (fem) |
| Les da | (a ustedes) | to you (formal plural) |
Note all the meanings of le: to him; to her; to you (formal singular) les: to them (masc + fem) to you (formal plural.)
Indirect object pronouns in the attached position.
- Señorita, escríbale una carta. Miss, write her a letter.
- Para escribirle necesito papel. To write to him, I need paper.
The indirect object pronouns are attached to affirmative commands just like the direct object pronouns. Indirect object pronouns are written before negative commands, and conjugated verbs, the same as with direct object pronouns.
If a conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive, the indirect object pronoun may be written either before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive.
Laura no le quiere hablar. Laura does not want to talk to him.
Laura no quiere hablarle. Laura does not want to talk to him.