Chapter 14: Object Pronouns

Argentine Spanish Level A2

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🎯 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter you will be able to:

• ✅ Master direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las)
• ✅ Use indirect object pronouns correctly (le, les)
• ✅ Build sentences with pronouns
• ✅ Understand pronoun usage with vos
• ✅ Apply pronouns in everyday conversations
• ✅ Speak naturally like a porteño

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🎯 14.1. Direct Object Pronouns (Lo, La, Los, Las)

Direct object pronouns replace the direct object in a sentence to avoid unnecessary repetition.

📚 Direct Object Pronouns Table

🔄 Basic Usage

Masculine Singular (LO):

• ¿Conocés a Juan? → Sí, lo conozco (Do you know Juan? → Yes, I know him)
• ¿Tenés el libro? → Sí, lo tengo (Do you have the book? → Yes, I have it)
• El mate está listo → Lo voy a tomar (The mate is ready → I'm going to drink it)

Feminine Singular (LA):

• ¿Conocés a María? → Sí, la conozco (Do you know María? → Yes, I know her)
• ¿Tenés la pelota? → Sí, la tengo (Do you have the ball? → Yes, I have it)
• La empanada está rica → La quiero comer (The empanada is delicious → I want to eat it)

Masculine Plural (LOS):

• ¿Conocés a mis hermanos? → Sí, los conozco (Do you know my brothers? → Yes, I know them)
• ¿Tenés los documentos? → Sí, los tengo (Do you have the documents? → Yes, I have them)

Feminine Plural (LAS):

• ¿Conocés a mis hermanas? → Sí, las conozco (Do you know my sisters? → Yes, I know them)
• ¿Tenés las llaves? → Sí, las tengo (Do you have the keys? → Yes, I have them)

📍 Pronoun Position

Before the Conjugated Verb:

• Lo veo todos los días (I see him every day)
• La quiero mucho (I love her very much)
• Los vamos a invitar (We're going to invite them)
• Las estoy esperando (I'm waiting for them)

Attached to the Infinitive:

• Voy a verlo mañana (I'm going to see him tomorrow)
• Quiero conocerla mejor (I want to know her better)
• Vamos a invitarlos (We're going to invite them)
• Tengo que buscarlas (I have to look for them)

Attached to the Gerund:

• Estoy esperándola (I'm waiting for her)
• Estás viendolo ahora (You're watching it now)

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Examples

Daily Life:

• "¿El bondi? Lo estoy esperando hace media hora" (The bus? I've been waiting for it for half an hour)
• "La milanesa está buenísima, la recomiendo" (The milanesa is delicious, I recommend it)
• "Los chorizos, los compramos en la carnicería de la esquina" (The chorizos, we buy them at the corner butcher shop)

Football Culture:

• "A Messi lo amo, es el mejor" (I love Messi, he's the best)
• "La pelota la tenés vos" (You have the ball)
• "Los jugadores los conozco a todos" (I know all the players)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Wrong:

• ¿Juan? Yo conozco Juan (unnecessary repetition)
• Lo veo a ella (gender disagreement)
• La libro está aquí (gender error)

✅ Correct:

• ¿Juan? Yo lo conozco
• La veo a ella
• El libro está aquí

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👥 14.2. Indirect Object Pronouns (Le, Les)

Indirect object pronouns indicate to whom or for whom the action is performed.

📚 Indirect Object Pronouns Table

🔄 Basic Usage

LE (Singular):

• Le doy el libro a Juan (I give the book to Juan)
• Le compro flores a mi mamá (I buy flowers for my mom)
• Le digo la verdad a mi hermana (I tell the truth to my sister)
• Le pregunto la hora al señor (I ask the gentleman for the time)

LES (Plural):

• Les damos las gracias a todos (We thank everyone)
• Les compramos regalos a los chicos (We buy gifts for the kids)
• Les cuento historias a mis nietos (I tell stories to my grandchildren)

🎯 Important Verbs (with Indirect Object)

Giving/Receiving Verbs:

• dar (to give) → Le doy dinero
• regalar (to give as gift) → Le regalo flores
• prestar (to lend) → Le presto el auto
• devolver (to return) → Le devuelvo el libro

Communication Verbs:

• decir (to say) → Le digo hola
• contar (to tell) → Le cuento todo
• explicar (to explain) → Le explico la lección
• preguntar (to ask) → Le pregunto su nombre

Service Verbs:

• ayudar (to help) → Le ayudo con la tarea
• servir (to serve) → Le sirvo el desayuno
• cocinar (to cook) → Le cocino empanadas

🇦🇷 Argentine Examples

In the Family:

• "A mi vieja le compro mate cocido todos los días" (I buy mate cocido for my mom every day)
• "Le digo a mi viejo que venga al asado" (I tell my dad to come to the barbecue)
• "A los pibes les enseño a jugar fútbol" (I teach the kids how to play football)

In Social Situations:

• "Le pregunto al verdulero el precio de las bananas" (I ask the greengrocer for the price of bananas)
• "Les cuento a mis amigos sobre el partido" (I tell my friends about the match)
• "Le pido al mozo la cuenta" (I ask the waiter for the check)

💡 LE → SE Change

When direct and indirect object pronouns are used together, LE and LES become SE:

❌ Wrong:

• Le lo doy (I give it to him)
• Les las compro (I buy them for them)

✅ Correct:

• Se lo doy (I give it to him)
• Se las compro (I buy them for them)

Examples:

• Le doy el libro → Se lo doy (I give him the book → I give it to him)
• Les compro flores → Se las compro (I buy them flowers → I buy them for them)
• Le explico la lección → Se la explico (I explain the lesson to him → I explain it to him)

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🏗️ 14.3. Building Sentences with Pronouns

Let's learn to use object pronouns in different sentence structures.

📍 Pronoun Order

Single Pronoun:

• Lo veo (I see him)
• Le hablo (I talk to him)

Two Pronouns: Order: Indirect + Direct

• Se lo doy (I give it to him)
• Se la explico (I explain it to her)
• Se los compro (I buy them for him)

🎯 Position in Different Verb Tenses

Present Tense:

• Lo conozco bien (I know him well)
• Le escribo una carta (I write him a letter)
• Se lo cuento todo (I tell him everything)

Near Future (IR + A + Infinitive): Two options:

• Lo voy a ver / Voy a verlo (I'm going to see him)
• Le voy a hablar / Voy a hablarle (I'm going to talk to him)
• Se lo voy a dar / Voy a dárselo (I'm going to give it to him)

Present Continuous (ESTAR + Gerund): Two options:

• Lo estoy viendo / Estoy viéndolo (I'm seeing him)
• Le estoy hablando / Estoy hablándole (I'm talking to him)
• Se lo estoy dando / Estoy dándoselo (I'm giving it to him)

❓ In Questions

Yes/No Questions:

• ¿Lo conocés? (Do you know him?)
• ¿Le hablaste? (Did you talk to him?)
• ¿Se lo dijiste? (Did you tell him?)

Information Questions:

• ¿Cuándo lo vas a ver? (When are you going to see him?)
• ¿Por qué le gritaste? (Why did you yell at him?)
• ¿Dónde se lo compraste? (Where did you buy it for him?)

🚫 Negative Sentences

The negation NO goes before the pronoun:

• No lo conozco (I don't know him)
• No le hablo (I don't talk to him)
• No se lo digo (I don't tell him)

With Infinitive:

• No voy a verlo / No lo voy a ver (I'm not going to see him)
• No quiero hablarle / No le quiero hablar (I don't want to talk to him)

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🗣️ 14.4. Using Pronouns with Vos

Argentine Spanish has particular characteristics in the use of pronouns with vos.

💬 Daily Conversation Examples

VOS + Direct Object:

• "¿A Juan? Sí, lo conozco. Vos también lo conocés, ¿no?" (Juan? Yes, I know him. You know him too, don't you?)
• "La película la vi ayer. ¿Vos la viste?" (I saw the movie yesterday. Did you see it?)

VOS + Indirect Object:

• "Le dije que venga. ¿Vos le dijiste algo?" (I told him to come. Did you tell him something?)
• "A María le compré flores. ¿Vos le compraste algo?" (I bought flowers for María. Did you buy her something?)

🎭 Commands with VOS

Affirmative Commands: Pronouns attach to the verb:

• Conocélo bien (Get to know him well)
• Hablále claro (Talk to him clearly)
• Comprale algo lindo (Buy him something nice)
• Dáselo ahora (Give it to him now)

Negative Commands: Pronouns go before the verb:

• No lo conozcas tan rápido (Don't get to know him so quickly)
• No le hables así (Don't talk to him like that)
• No se lo digas (Don't tell him)

🇦🇷 Typical Porteño Expressions with Vos

Among Friends:

• "Che, ¿lo viste a Martín?" (Hey, did you see Martín?)
• "Le dijiste que vaya al asado?" (Did you tell him to go to the barbecue?)
• "Se la regalo para su cumple" (I'm giving it to her for her birthday)

In the Family:

• "Mamá, ¿le compraste el regalo al abuelo?" (Mom, did you buy grandpa a gift?)
• "Papá, lo necesito al auto esta noche" (Dad, I need the car tonight)

Daily Situations:

• "Al verdulero le pedí que me guarde tomates" (I asked the greengrocer to save me some tomatoes)
• "La conozco a esa chica del barrio" (I know that girl from the neighborhood)

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🎯 14.5. Practical Use in Daily Conversations

Let's see how object pronouns are used in real Buenos Aires situations.

🏪 Shopping Situations

At the Store:

• Customer: "¿Las naranjas? Las quiero todas maduras" (The oranges? I want them all ripe)
• Seller: "Se las selecciono yo mismo" (I'll select them for you myself)
• Customer: "Al pan lo quiero recién hecho" (I want the bread freshly made)

At the Restaurant:

• Customer: "La milanesa la quiero con puré" (I want the milanesa with mashed potatoes)
• Waiter: "Se la traigo en 15 minutos" (I'll bring it to you in 15 minutes)
• Customer: "¿Le puede agregar ensalada?" (Can you add salad to it?)

🚌 Transportation and Daily Life

At the Bus Stop:

• "Al 60 lo estoy esperando hace una hora" (I've been waiting for the 60 bus for an hour)
• "Le pregunto al chofer si pasa por Palermo" (I ask the driver if he goes through Palermo)

On the Subway:

• "La SUBE la tengo sin saldo" (My SUBE card has no credit)
• "Le pido a alguien que me ayude con las escaleras" (I ask someone to help me with the stairs)

⚽ Football Conversations

At the Stadium:

• "A Boca lo banco desde chico" (I've supported Boca since I was a kid)
• "El gol lo hizo de cabeza" (He scored the goal with his head)
• "A los jugadores los conozco por nombre" (I know the players by name)
• "Le gritamos al árbitro toda la tarde" (We yelled at the referee all afternoon)

🍖 Asado Culture

At the Grill:

• "La carne la preparo yo" (I'll prepare the meat)
• "Al fuego lo prendés vos" (You light the fire)
• "Les sirvo a todos al mismo tiempo" (I serve everyone at the same time)
• "El chorizo lo damos vuelta ahora" (We flip the chorizo now)

🧉 Mate Culture

In the Mate Circle:

• "El mate lo cebo yo" (I prepare the mate)
• "Le paso la bombilla a mi hermana" (I pass the bombilla to my sister)
• "La yerba la cambio cada tanto" (I change the yerba from time to time)
• "Les explico a los extranjeros cómo tomar" (I explain to foreigners how to drink it)

📱 Technology and Social Media

On WhatsApp:

• "El mensaje lo mandé pero no lo leyó" (I sent the message but he didn't read it)
• "Le escribo por Instagram" (I write to her on Instagram)
• "Las fotos las subí a Facebook" (I uploaded the photos to Facebook)

🏥 Daily Problems

At the Doctor's:

• "Le cuento al doctor mis síntomas" (I tell the doctor my symptoms)
• "La receta la tengo que llevar a la farmacia" (I have to take the prescription to the pharmacy)

At the Bank:

• "Al empleado le explico mi problema" (I explain my problem to the employee)
• "La plata la necesito hoy" (I need the money today)

💡 Tips for Natural Speech

To Sound Like a Porteño:

1. Avoid repetition: "¿Juan? Sí, lo conozco" (Juan? Yes, I know him)
2. Use for emphasis: "A JUAN lo vi, no a Pedro" (I saw JUAN, not Pedro)
3. For fluency: Pronouns make speech more fluid
4. Naturally: This is how everyone talks in Buenos Aires