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Spanish Direct Object Pronouns: Lo, La, Los and Las

Learn how Spanish direct object pronouns replace the person or thing directly affected by a verb. This guide explains me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los and las, including gender, number, the personal a, word position and double-object combinations.

Open pronoun table Practice examples
Core question: a direct object normally answers what? or whom?. In Veo el libro, the book is directly affected by the action: Lo veo.
Spanish direct object pronouns me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los and las
Direct object pronouns replace the person or thing directly affected by the verb.

Definition

What is a direct object in Spanish?

A direct object is the person, thing or idea that receives the action of the verb directly. It normally answers what? or whom?.

In Compro el libro, the book is the thing being bought. In Conozco a Ana, Ana is the person known. Both are direct objects.

Thing

Compro el libro → Lo compro.
What do I buy? The book.

Person

Conozco a Ana → La conozco.
Whom do I know? Ana.

Idea or fact

No lo entiendo.
Lo can refer to an idea or statement.

Pronoun table

Spanish direct object pronouns at a glance

The pronoun is chosen according to the person, gender and number of the direct object.

Meaning Pronoun Spanish example English meaning Grammar note
me me Me ves. You see me. First-person singular.
you te Te llamo. I call you. Informal singular.
him or masculine object lo Lo veo. I see him or it. Masculine singular.
her or feminine object la La conozco. I know her or it. Feminine singular.
us nos Nos ayudan. They help us. First-person plural.
you all in Spain os Os veo. I see you all. Mainly used in Spain.
them, masculine or mixed los Los compro. I buy them. Masculine or mixed plural.
them, feminine las Las leo. I read them. Feminine plural.
Memory line: me · te · lo · la · nos · os · los · las

Identify the object

How to find the direct object

Begin with the verb and ask what or whom receives the action directly.

Step 1

Find the verb

Identify the action in the sentence.

María compra el libro.

Step 2

Ask what or whom

The answer normally identifies the direct object.

What does María buy? El libro.

Step 3

Choose the pronoun

Match the noun’s gender and number.

El libro → lo → María lo compra.

Sentence Question Direct object Pronoun sentence
Veo el coche. What do I see? el coche Lo veo.
Compro la entrada. What do I buy? la entrada La compro.
Leo los libros. What do I read? los libros Los leo.
Conozco a María. Whom do I know? a María La conozco.

Gender and number

Lo, la, los and las

Third-person direct object pronouns agree with the noun they replace. Use singular or plural and masculine or feminine according to the original object.

Noun replaced Pronoun Complete sentence Pronoun sentence
el libro lo Leo el libro. Lo leo.
la carta la Leo la carta. La leo.
los libros los Compro los libros. Los compro.
las cartas las Escribo las cartas. Las escribo.
Quick rule: masculine singular = lo · feminine singular = la · masculine or mixed plural = los · feminine plural = las

Other direct-object forms

Me, te, nos and os as direct object pronouns

These forms do not show grammatical gender. Their function depends on the verb and sentence structure.

Me

Me ves

The speaker is the person directly seen.

¿Me escuchas?

Te

Te llamo

The listener is the person directly called.

Te conozco.

Nos and os

Nos ayudan · Os invito

These forms represent plural direct objects.

Nos conocen bien.

People as direct objects

Direct object pronouns and the personal a

Spanish normally uses the personal a before a specific person who functions as a direct object. The pronoun itself does not include the preposition.

Full person object Pronoun sentence English meaning Grammar point
Veo a Juan. Lo veo. I see Juan or him. A Juan is a direct object.
Conozco a Ana. La conozco. I know Ana or her. La replaces a Ana.
Invito a mis amigos. Los invito. I invite my friends or them. Masculine or mixed plural.
Llamo a mis hermanas. Las llamo. I call my sisters or them. Feminine plural.
The personal a does not make an object indirect.

Compare Veo a Juan → Lo veo with Escribo a Juan → Le escribo. The verb determines the object’s function.

Word position

Where do direct object pronouns go?

Direct object pronouns normally go before a conjugated verb. They can attach to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands.

Verb form Pronoun position Spanish example English meaning
Conjugated verb Before the verb Lo veo. I see it or him.
Compound tense Before the auxiliary Lo he visto. I have seen it or him.
Infinitive Before the conjugated verb or attached Lo quiero ver. / Quiero verlo. I want to see it or him.
Gerund Before the conjugated verb or attached Lo estoy viendo. / Estoy viéndolo. I am seeing it or him.
Affirmative command Attached to the command Míralo. Look at it or him.
Negative command Before the verb No lo mires. Do not look at it or him.

Continue with the complete guide: Spanish Pronoun Position .

Object contrast

Direct vs indirect object pronouns

The same person can be direct or indirect depending on the verb. Do not choose the pronoun only because a person appears after the preposition a.

Sentence Object function Pronoun Pronoun sentence
Veo a Juan. Direct object lo Lo veo.
Escribo a Juan. Indirect object le Le escribo.
Doy el libro a Ana. el libro direct;
a Ana indirect 		lo + le Se lo doy.
Mando las cartas a mis padres. las cartas direct;
a mis padres indirect 		las + les Se las mando.

Two object pronouns

Direct object pronouns with indirect object pronouns

When both object pronouns appear, the indirect object pronoun comes first and the direct object pronoun comes second.

Order

Indirect before direct

Te lo explico.

Le or les

Change to se

Le doy el libro → Se lo doy.

Agreement

The direct pronoun keeps its form

Se la mando · Se los compro.

Full sentence Two pronouns English meaning
Doy el libro a Ana. Se lo doy. I give it to her.
Mando la carta a Luis. Se la mando. I send it to him.
Compro los billetes para ti. Te los compro. I buy them for you.
Explicamos las reglas a ellos. Se las explicamos. We explain them to them.

Additional use

Lo for ideas, facts and situations

Lo can refer to a complete idea, fact, statement or situation rather than to one masculine noun.

Understanding

No lo entiendo

I do not understand it or what was said.

Knowledge

Lo sé

I know it or I know that fact.

Belief

No lo creo

I do not believe it or that claim.

Regional variation

A short note on leísmo

In parts of Spain, le may be used for a masculine human direct object. This regional pattern is known as leísmo.

Best learner system:

Use lo for a masculine direct object, la for a feminine direct object and le for an indirect object.

A Juan lo vi — direct object.
A Juan le escribí — indirect object.

Mini practice

Practice Spanish direct object pronouns

Answer each exercise before opening the solution.

Exercise 1: choose lo, la, los or las

  1. Veo el coche.
  2. Compro la entrada.
  3. Leo los libros.
  4. Escribo las cartas.
Show answers

1. Lo veo.
2. La compro.
3. Los leo.
4. Las escribo.

Exercise 2: replace the person

  1. Veo a Ana.
  2. Conozco a Juan.
  3. Invito a mis amigos.
  4. Llamo a mis hermanas.
Show answers

1. La veo.
2. Lo conozco.
3. Los invito.
4. Las llamo.

Exercise 3: choose the position

  1. Quiero ver el libro.
  2. Estoy leyendo la carta.
  3. Compra los billetes.
  4. No mires la foto.
Show answers

1. Quiero verlo or Lo quiero ver.
2. Estoy leyéndola or La estoy leyendo.
3. Cómpralos.
4. No la mires.

Common errors

Common mistakes with direct object pronouns

  • Using le for every person: the basic learner system uses lo for a masculine direct object and la for a feminine direct object.
  • Forgetting gender and number: el libro becomes lo, while las cartas becomes las.
  • Thinking personal a marks an indirect object: Veo a Ana is direct: La veo.
  • Putting the pronoun after a conjugated verb: say Lo veo, not Veo lo.
  • Keeping personal a with the pronoun: say La veo, not A la veo.
  • Using lo for every object: use la, los or las when the original noun requires them.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Spanish direct object pronouns

What are Spanish direct object pronouns?

They replace the person or thing directly affected by a verb. The forms are me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los and las.

What is the difference between lo and la?

Lo normally replaces a masculine singular direct object. La replaces a feminine singular direct object.

What is the difference between los and las?

Los replaces masculine or mixed plural objects. Las replaces feminine plural objects.

Where do direct object pronouns go?

They normally go before a conjugated verb. They attach to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands.

Is a Juan in veo a Juan a direct object?

Yes. The personal a marks Juan as a specific person, but Juan remains the direct object: Lo veo.

What is the difference between lo veo and le escribo?

Lo veo is direct because someone is seen directly. Le escribo is indirect because someone receives the communication.

Practice and support

Practise direct object pronouns in complete sentences

Direct object pronouns become easier when you practise object recognition, gender, number, the personal a, pronoun position and direct-versus-indirect contrasts in context.

Grammar support

Spanish Tutoring

Work on pronouns, homework, sentence correction and individual grammar problems.

Grammar overview

Spanish Grammar

Continue with verbs, tenses, pronouns, prepositions and sentence structures.

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