Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect Object Pronouns

​She told the secret to her friend.

​She told him the secret.

What are indirect objects?

Indirect objects benefit from the action of a verb. They answer the question "to whom" or "for whom"

Indirect Objects - In English

See how the words in green answer the questions "to whom" or "for whom"

• He bought me a cake. He bought it for me.

• I told you that. I told that to you.

• Give Leo the shoe. Give the shoe to Leo.

• Who made Angela that dress? Who made that dress for Angela?

• I'll bring the animal food. I'll bring food to the animal.

• Who showed us the way? Who showed the way to us?

• ​We'll provide the kids some gloves. We'll provide some gloves for the kids.

These are Indirect Objects. Note the 2 different possible placements.

Multiple Select

What question(s) does the indirect object answer?

• To whom?

• For whom?

• Where?

• What?

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object of the sentence?

(Hint: ask yourself the question "to whom?" or "for whom?")

My friends had a big party for me.

• my friends

• a big party

• me

• had

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object in this sentence?

(Hint: ask yourself the question "to whom?" or "for whom?")

I gave my dog a bone.

• I

• my dog

• a bone

• gave

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object of the sentence?

(Hint: ask yourself the question "to whom?" or "for whom?")

The dad made his son dinner.

• the dad

• dinner

• his son

• made

What are indirect object pronouns?

They are the combination of a preposition and an object, shortened into one word for convenience.

​

In English: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Indirect Object Pronouns still

answer the questions:

To whom?

​or

​For whom?

Indirect Object Pronouns

You'll notice that most of the indirect object pronouns are used to take the place of two different prepositions: to and for.

​

I bought a car for you.

​

I sold a picture to the woman.

​

I bought you a car.

​

I sold her a picture.

Indirect Object Pronouns - In English

Notice how the Indirect Objects are replaced by the Indirect Object Pronouns

• Me - He bought me a cake. He bought it for me.

• You - I told you that. I told that to you.

• Him - Give him the shoe. Give the shoe to Leo.

• Her - Who made her that dress? Who made that dress for Angela?

• It - I'll bring it food. I'll bring food to the animal.

• Us - Who showed us the way? Who showed the way to us?

• ​Them - We'll provide them some gloves. We'll provide some gloves for the kids.

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object pronoun of the sentence?

She told it to them.

• she

• it

• them

• to

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object pronoun of the sentence?

They bought it for her.

• they

• it

• bought

• her

Multiple Choice

Replace the indirect object with an indirect object pronoun.

Somebody can buy some new socks for John.

= Somebody can buy _____ some new socks.

• him

• m

• them

• us

Multiple Choice

Replace the indirect object with an indirect object pronoun.

I'll bring the food to you.

= I'll bring ____ the food.

• you

• her

• them

• us

Multiple Choice

Replace the indirect object with an indirect object pronoun.

He sings for his grandparents

= He sings for ____.

• you

• her

• them

• us

Now that you know what an Indirect Object is in English, let's talk about what it is in Spanish!

Indirect Object Pronouns - En español

Good news!!!

​

​You already know them!!

​

​We use Indirect Objects when we use "Gustar & Friends"

​

​Let's review what those are now.

Indirect Object Pronouns - En español

Indirect Object Pronouns - En español

​Me gustan las papitas.

​Les interesa el fútbol.

​Nos encanta la pizza.

​Os aburre la clase.

​Fries are pleasing to me. (i.e. I like fries)

​Soccer is interesting to them.

​Pizza is delighting to us. (i.e. We love pizza)

​The class is boring to you all.

Remember how with Gustar and Friends you are really talking about how something relates to you (or to whoever). You are using INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS!

​

Indirect Object Pronouns - En español

Remember that Indirect Object Pronouns are replacing the prepositions "to" and "for" as well as the word that comes after it.

​

​ to = a

​ for = para

Indirect Object Pronouns - Examples

• Mi padre dio una chaqueta a mí.

• Los estudiantes hicieron una presentación para ti.

• Unos chicos llevaron todo el papel a él.

• ​Nos encanta la Pepsi a nosotros.

​

• Mi padre me dio una chaqueta.

• Los estudiantes te hicieron una presentación.

• Unos chicos le llevaron todo el papel.

• ​Nos encanta la Pepsi.

****FYI**** Indirect Object Pronouns - En español

Unlike in English, in Spanish it is possible to have the indirect object AND the indirect object pronoun instead of replacing it. We can use this to specify or emphasize who we are talking about in a sentence.

​

A ti te doy la ropa usada.

​

A mi amigo Julio le di un almuerzo.

​

Les hicimos una donación de $100 a los niños.

​

​Nos encanta el baloncesto a nosotros, pero a ustedes les gusta el fútbol.

Vamos a practicar

Multiple Choice

What indirect object pronoun will be used in the following sentences?

Hint: Look for "para..." or "a.."

Yo tengo una caja para ella

= ____ tengo una caja.

• me

• nos

• te

• le

Multiple Choice

What pronoun will be used in the following sentences?

Hint: Look for "para..." or "a.."

Mis amigos buscan unas botas para ti.

= Mis amigos _____ buscan unas botas.

• me

• nos

• te

• le

Multiple Choice

What pronoun will be used in the following sentences?

Hint: Look for "para..." or "a.."

¿Qué tienes para mí?

= ¿Qué ___ tienes?

• me

• nos

• te

• le

Multiple Choice

What indirect object pronoun will be used in the following sentences?

Preparo una cena enorme para mi madre.

= _____ preparo una cena enorme.

• la

• las

• le

• les

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence and determine who/what could possibly be the indirect object.

El papá está dándoles la oportunidad

• el papá

• la oportunidad

• the kids

• him

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence and determine who/what could possibly be the indirect object.

Los jugadores no quisieron pasarle la pelota

• you all

• the coach

• the other players

• us

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence and determine who/what could possibly be the indirect object.

Te digo el secreto.

• you

• me

• them

• us

Now that you know which Indirect Object Pronoun to use, let's talk about where to put IOP in Spanish

​

​Good News! These are the same rules for Direct Object Pronouns that we just learned!

​EXAMPLES of the IOP going BEFORE THE conjugated verb:

​I take the book to him. Le llevo el libro a él. Le llevo el libro.

You made the food for me. Hiciste la comida para mí. Me hiciste la comida.

​We sing the song to them. Cantamos la canción a ellos. Les cantamos la canción.

​

1-You can place them before the conjugated verb.

​

2- They can attach to an infinitive in a verb phrase

​EXAMPLES:

​I am going to take the book to them.

• Voy a llevar el libro a ellos. Voy a llevarles el libro.

​You just ate the food.

• Acabas de cocinar la comida para nosotros. Acabas de cocinarnos la comida.

​We need to sing the songs to you.

• Necesitamos cantar las canciones a ti. Necesitamos cantarte las canciones.

​

3- Attach to a present progressive participle

​EXAMPLES:

​I am reading the book to you.

• Estoy leyendo el libro a ti. Estoy leyéndote el libro

​You are taking the food to her.

• Estás llevando la comida a ella. Estás llevándole la comida.

​She is doing the work for her mother.

• ​Está haciendo el trabajo para sus padres . Está haciéndoles el trabajo.

​

​**Note: when you do this, an accent becomes necessary on the progressive participle ending. -ando becomes -ándo and -endo becomes -éndo

Also note:

If it's a negative sentence, the "NO" always goes right before any indirect object pronoun

​

No te voy a dar dinero..... or..... Yo NO te voy a dar dinero.

​

No me gusta el queso....... or....... El queso NO me gusta.

​

No les hablas a los niños.​..... or....... Tú NO les hablas a los niños.

Vamos a practicar

Reorder

How would you say the following?

The grandma made the food for them.

• la abuela

• les

• hizo

• la comida

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Reorder

How would you say the following?

The children give the papers to her.

• los niños

• le

• dan

• los papeles

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Reorder

How would you say the following?

I tell you the secret

• yo

• te

• digo

• el secreto

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

My mom gave me a taco = Mi madre me dio un taco.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

My mom gave me a taco = Mi madre dio me un taco.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I have to give the book to her = Le tengo que dar el libro.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I have to give the book to her = Tengo que darle el libro.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I have to give the book to her = Tengo que le dar el libro.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I am giving the book to her = Estoy dándole el libro.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I am giving the book to her = Le estoy dando el libro.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this the correct order of words?

I am giving the book to her = Estoy le dando el libro.

• YES

• NO

​Direct Objects vs Indirect Objects

​Did you notice that Indirect object and Direct Object pronouns are very similar?

​Can you spot the differences?

​	​DIRECT	​INDIRECT
​1st person singular	​me	​me
2ns person singular​	te​	te​
3rd person singular​	lo/la​	le​
1st person plural​	nos​	nos​
2nd person plural​	os​	os​
3rd person plural​	los/las​	les​

​Remember...

​Direct objects tells who or what RECEIVES the action of the verb

​

Indirect objects​ tell "to who" or "for whom" benefits from the actions of the verb.

Match

Read the sentence and determine the subject, conjugated verb, the direct object and the indirect object.

The boys wanted to tell us the problem.

• the boys

• us

• the problem

• wanted

subject

indirect object

direct object

conjugated verb

• subject

• indirect object

• direct object

• conjugated verb

Match

Read the sentence and determine the subject, conjugated verb, the direct object and the indirect object.

My mom cooked me dinner.

• my mom

• me

• dinner

• cooked

subject

indirect object

direct object

conjugated verb

• subject

• indirect object

• direct object

• conjugated verb

Match

Read the sentence and determine the subject, conjugated verb, the direct object and the indirect object.

Te digo el secreto.

• yo

• te

• el secreto

• digo

subject

indirect object

direct object

conjugated verb

• subject

• indirect object

• direct object

• conjugated verb

Match

Read the sentence and determine the subject, conjugated verb, the direct object and the indirect object.

Los jugadores no quisieron pasarle la pelota al entrenador.

• los jugadores

• entrenador

• pelota

• quisieron

subject

indirect object

direct object

conjugated verb

• subject

• indirect object

• direct object

• conjugated verb

Match

Read the sentence and determine the subject, conjugated verb, the direct object and the indirect object.

I am going to bring you the book.

• I

• book

• am

• y

subject

direct object

conjugated verb

indirect object

• subject

• direct object

• conjugated verb

• indirect object

Poll

How do you feel about Indirect Object Pronouns?

• I'm a pro. It's pretty easy.

• I think I get it, but I need more practice.

• I'm really confused

Poll

How long did it take you to complete this Quizizz?

• Less than 10 minutes

• 10-20 minutes

• 20-30 minutes

• More than 30 minutes