Direct Object Pronouns
The table below shows the different forms direct objects can take in Spanish.
Subject Singular Plural
First person me (me) nos (us)
Second person te (informal you) os (informal you)
Third person lo, la (it, him, her, formal you) los, las (them, formal you)
Direct Object Pronouns at Work
Let's take a look at how direct object pronouns can do the work of direct objects in Spanish sentences.
Direct Object Pronouns and People
A direct object pronoun can take the place of a direct object referring to a person. In the first sentence below, the direct object is mi mamá. It can be replaced by the direct object pronoun la, as shown in the second example.
Llamaron a mi mamá.
They called my mother.
La llamaron.
They called her.
Direct Object Pronouns and Things
In the first sentence below, la pelota receives the action of tiró, and thus is the direct object of the sentence. It is singular, feminine, and a thing, so it is in the third person. Therefore, you can replac it with the direct object pronoun la, as shown in the second example.
Sandra tiró la pelota.
Sandra threw the ball.
Sandra la tiró.
Sandra threw it.
Direct Objects and Phrases
In the first sentence in the pair of examples below, muchos libros receives the action of leen. It is plural, masculine, and a plural noun phrase, so it can be replaced with the direct object pronoun los, as shown in the second example.
Los niños leen muchos libros.
The boys read lots of books.
Los niños los leen.
The boys read them.
