6.4: Indirect objects
- Page ID
- 173586
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Indirect Object Nouns and Pronouns
Indirect objects answer the questions to who or for whom. They identify the noun or nouns that receive the action of a verb indirectly.
We have seen the indirect object pronouns before with verbs like gustar.
The indirect object pronouns are
singular plural
me = to/for me nos = to/for us
te = you (familiar) os = to/for you (familiar)
le = to/for him les = to/for them (m.) le = to/for her les = to/for them (f.) le = to/for you (formal) les = to/for you (formal)
In the sentence Les digo la verdad a mis padres. I tell the truth to my parents. Since les can refer to different people, we use the pronoun as well as the a + the indirect noun to clarify to whom we tell the truth.
In the question ¿Me llamas? the indirect object can only refer to one person: me. So, it is NOT necessary to clarify with a mí BUT if you want to emphasize an indirect object, you can use the pronoun and an a + indirect object noun.
The question ¿A mí me llamas? really emphasizes the indirect object by using the construction a + indirect object noun and an indirect object pronoun.
Some Spanish verbs that frequently use indirect object nouns are listed below. Note how some of these verbs use both indirect and direct objects and/or indirect and direct object pronouns. The indirect object pronoun is written in bold. When an indefinite object pronoun is not clear, it has been clarified with an indirect object noun.
buscar La madre les busca a sus hijos.
comprar Mi amigo me compró un regalo muy bonito.
conseguir Quiero conseguirte el boleto. Te quiero conseguir el boleto.
dar La madre le da consejos a su hijo.
deber Te debo cinco dólares.
decir Siempre les digo la verdad a mis amigos.
escribir Les escribo una carta a mis abuelos.
hacer ¿Te hago un café?
mostrar ¿Vas a mostrarme tus fotos? ¿Me vas a mostrar tus fotos?
pedir ¿Estás pidiéndome un favor? ¿Me estás pidiendo un favor?
preguntar Te pregunto el título.
prestar Sí, te presto mi libro.
traer En serio, te traigo un café.
vender ¿Nos venden la computadora?
In a verb construction such as the present progressive or ir + a + infinitive, an indirect object pronoun can go before or after the entire construction. It cannot be placed in the middle of it. The examples above with the verbs conseguir, mostrar, and pedir illustrate this.
Note, if you use the present progressive and choose to attach the indirect object pronoun, you must accent the vowel in the second-to-last syllable of the present participle.
Remember that indirect object nouns and indirect object pronouns answer the questions to whom or for whom. They add more information to a sentence. Indirect object nouns are more specific and indirect object pronouns replace indirect object nouns making the sentence shorter.
Now, let us practice indirect object nouns and indirect object pronouns
Prácticas.
A. Change each indirect object noun to an indirect object pronoun.
indirect object noun indirect object pronoun
la mamá le
1. el profesor
2. los libros
3. las gatas
4. la tarea
5. el mapa
6. la bicicleta
7. la foto
8. las computadoras
9. los coches
10. las enchiladas
11. el taco
12. la comida
13. el café
14. las vacaciones
15. el viaje
B. Identify the indirect object pronoun in each sentence.
1. Me preguntas muchas preguntas.
2. Nos escribo una carta larga.
3. Le consigo el libro.
4. Nos buscan.
5. Me debes un euro.
6. Mi madre me hace un té.
7. Le presto mi coche a mi esposo.
8. Les muestro la actividad.
9. Maricarmen le compra una chaqueta a María.
10. ¿Me compras los dulces?
11. Me estás escribiendo mucho.
12. ¿Me prestas tu chaqueta?
13. Te voy a vender mi bolsa de Coach.
14. Tus padres están comprándote el boleto.
15. ¿Me traes los tacos?
C. Answer the following questions. Include the appropriate indirect object pronoun.
1. ¿Me escribes el mensaje?
2. ¿Nos dices el chiste?
3. ¿Le preguntas a la profesora?
4. ¿Les muestro la foto a mi amiga?
5. ¿Te hago un café latte?
6. ¿Les compro los dulces?
7. ¿Le compro la falda a mi hija?
8. ¿Te traigo el correo?
9. ¿Estás diciéndome todo? There are two ways to write this.
10. ¿Te estoy pidiendo un café? There are two ways to write this.
11. ¿Vamos a escribirle la carta? There are two ways to write this.
12. ¿Les vamos a comprar los calcetines? There are two ways to write this.
D. La música. The song A Dios Le Pido by Juanes uses an indirect object pronoun to explain his requests to God. Listen to the song and then write a list of three things you would like to ask someone for in your life.
E. What questions does an indirect object answer? How is an indirect object noun different from an indirect object pronoun? Write three sentences or questions with indirect object pronouns.