Spanish direct object pronouns: lo, la, los, las
Direct object pronouns are one of the biggest steps toward natural Spanish at B1, because they let you stop repeating the noun every time. In this lesson you learn the full set and the two rules that make them work: placement and agreement. You also meet the neuter lo, which replaces a whole idea and makes phrases like Lo siento fully clear.
The rule
In Spanish, repeating the same noun again and again makes your speech sound stiff and textbook like. Direct object pronouns solve that. You say the noun once to establish what you are talking about, then you switch to a short pronoun that points back to it. This lets you keep the rhythm of the conversation and connect sentences naturally.
The direct object pronouns are: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las. They replace the thing or person that receives the action directly, what you see, buy, find, call, understand, invite, etc. Memorizing the set is useful, but two rules make you accurate and confident.
At a glance
Direct object pronouns
| Persona | Pronombre |
|---|---|
| yo | me |
| tú | te |
| él, ella, usted | lo, la |
| nosotros, nosotras | nos |
| vosotros, vosotras | os |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | los, las |
Heard in real Spanish
Native speakers on YouTube, in videos about something other than grammar. The notion is in pink. Each clip starts a second before the line.
Eh, no lo he usado mucho, pero es bueno.
Uh, I haven't used it much, but it's good.
House tour de mi casa ROSADA 🎀 by Julianadanza · Watch on YouTube
Y esto es verdad que estas primeras 24 horas lo he notado bastante.
And it’s true that these first 24 hours, I’ve really noticed it.
Primeras horas con mi iPhone Duo ☁️🌟 unboxing, detalles y accesorios 📦 by Judit Güell · Watch on YouTube
Examples
- ¿Tienes el libro? Sí, lo tengo.Do you have the book? Yes, I have it.Lo replaces el libro, masculine singular.
- La mesa es grande. La compro hoy.The table is big. I’m buying it today.La goes before the conjugated verb compro.
- No encuentro las llaves. ¿Las tienes tú?I can’t find the keys. Do you have them?Las matches las llaves, feminine plural.
What to remember
- me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las replace the direct object.
- With a conjugated verb, the pronoun goes before the verb.
- With an infinitive or gerund, you can attach it to the non conjugated form.
- lo, la, los, las agree with the gender and number of the noun they replace.
- Neuter lo replaces a whole idea and has no plural.
Check yourself
1 Choose the correct direct object pronoun to replace el libro.
El libro está aquí. ___ tengo.
- Lo
- La
- Los
- Las
Show the answer
Lo. Libro is masculine singular, so you use lo: Lo tengo.
2 Fill the blank with the correct form when the pronoun is attached to the infinitive.
Voy a ___ esta noche.
- verla
- la ver
- la verla
- ver la
Show the answer
verla. With an infinitive, the pronoun can attach to it: verla.
Take the full lesson
“Lo, la, los, las: the direct object” in the Streal course: the whole explanation, the quiz, and every YouTube extract picked for it. Free to start, nothing to install. The full lesson goes on with the rest of the explanation and more examples, the common mistakes and the practice quiz.